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A showdown between the top two teams in the table at this stage of the season is a dream come true for the fans, TV companies and league authorities, and that scenario has come to pass in England and Germany this weekend.

First is at home to second in both cases, with Manchester United hosting Chelsea in a colossal clash in the English Premier League and Schalke at home to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

United versus Chelsea has become the defining battle in the Premier League, with the two clubs having shared the title between them for the past five seasons, and their latest showdown has the potential to go a long way towards determining the outcome of the championship race.

This is not the all-or-nothing decider that Liverpool v Arsenal was in the old First Division in 1989 - a match that is unlikely to be surpassed for significance and spine-tingling drama - but it ranks with some of the key encounters of the Premier League era, such as United's 1-0 win at Newcastle that fuelled their remarkable comeback in the 1995-96 season and Arsenal's dramatic success at Old Trafford in 1997-98 that underpinned their surge past United to take the title.

If there is a winner tonight, that team would be odds-on for the title with only five games to play. But if it is a draw it would be all to play for, with United still ahead by just a point - and Arsenal would be right back in the hunt if they secure a home victory over Wolves later tonight, as that would put them only two points behind United.

The injury to Wayne Rooney is a blow for United. Rooney-driven United have been excellent at Old Trafford this season, winning 14 out of 16 in the league, failing to win only once when they have scored, while Chelsea's away form has become decidedly patchy.