Giovanni Trapattoni has named an unchanged team as the Republic of Ireland look to make it three straight wins against Russia on Friday.
Ireland started Euro 2012 qualification Group B with the crucial wins they needed over Armenia and Andorra, but the opposition is about to get much tougher, starting with the Russians' visit to the Aviva Stadium.
With Damien Duff and Keith Andrews injured, veteran Italian boss Trapattoni has kept faith with the side who have brought him six points to date, with Richard Dunne fit to partner Sean St Ledger in defence and Paul Green again included in midfield.
Everton's Seamus Coleman and Stoke's Marc Wilson may offer some youthful options in defence from the bench if needed, while Robbie Keane and the very impressive thus far Kevin Doyle will be looked to for goals.
Crucially, a booking for midfielder Glenn Whelan would rule him out of next Tuesday's equally crucial away game against Slovakia.
Russia arrive in Dublin on the back of a home defeat to the Slovakians and are playing catch-up to Ireland. They have to do so without Tottenham Hotspur hit-man Roman Pavlyuchenko, the striker ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.
Manager Dick Advocaat has replaced him with Zenit St Petersburg's Alexander Bukharov, while there is no shortage of other attacking talent for the Irish to keep tabs on, led by Arsenal's Andriy Arshain and Pavel Pogrebnyak of Stuttgart.
Chelsea's Yuri Zhirkov and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov of Everton are other well-known faces in Advocaat's line-up, while CSKA Moscow's Igor Akinfeev is one of the most highly-rated goalkeepers out there and will be a tough nut for the likes of Keane and Doyle to crack.
Russia, like Ireland, lost out in last year's playoffs for the World Cup finals in South Africa and their hunger to bounce back in this campaign will be added to by last month's loss to the Slovaks.
This will be a difficult one for Ireland, who will have to stick to their disciplined style, but they also have a fine home record in their favour in recent years - the playoff loss to France apart.
Republic of Ireland: Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Lawrence, Whelan, Green, McGeady, Keane, Doyle.
Russia: TBC