For Arsenal, failure to defeat Wigan Athletic on Tuesday would leave their hopes of a 16th season in the Champions League in severe jeopardy; for Wigan Athletic, anything other than a win would quickly sour the taste of a memorable FA Cup final shock.
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As end-of-season fixtures go, the clash at the Emirates could hardly have more importance to the two sides involved.
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"Both teams will go for it, it's a huge game for both of us," Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger told reporters on Monday.
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Arsenal slipped out of the top four on Sunday as neighbours Tottenham Hotspur came from a goal down to beat Stoke City 2-1 in their penultimate match of the season.
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Tottenham, who missed out on the Champions League despite a fourth-place finish last season because Chelsea won the competition, have 69 points to Arsenal's 67.
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Victory against Wigan and then at Newcastle United on Sunday would guarantee Wenger's side finished above Spurs but there is only a cigarette paper between the north London rivals.
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Tottenham, who face Sunderland at home on Sunday, are relying on Wigan or Newcastle to take points off the Gunners and will be encouraged by Wigan's superb display in the 1-0 defeat of Manchester City, although less so by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew's comments that he would not care if his side lost 4-0 to Arsenal now that they had secured top- flight safety.