Chelsea are taking no chances as they bid to take over at the top of the Barclaycard Premiership tonight. Claudio Ranieri's men need just a point from their game in hand against Birmingham at St Andrews to leapfrog Arsenal into pole position ahead of Saturday's Highbury showdown between the two London giants.
But Chelsea, currently third in the table, will not allow dangerous Finland striker Mikael Forssell - on loan at Birmingham - to turn out for the Midlands side tonight.
It is part of a similar agreement which prevented Dutch winger Bodo Zenden playing for Middlesbrough against Chelsea last Sunday.
Although coach Ranieri is groaning about the lack of time he has had to prepare his star-studded squad of international millionaires, he is hopeful the spirit of England's Euro 2004 triumph in Turkey will carry through.
John Terry, Frank Lampard, Wayne Bridge and even Joe Cole, who has yet to start a Premiership game for Chelsea, could all have parts to play, with Ranieri banking on a continuance of the feelgood factor from Istanbul.
Ranieri and his mega-money squad know it won't be easy against Steve Bruce's Birmingham City side who are keyed up to show they have matured enough to compete with the country's finest.
Ranieri said: "Birmingham are a good side in good condition - but then so are Chelsea. We have William Gallas back fit and we are ready.
"We have had only one full day's training together plus a warm-down on Sunday after the international matches but that is always the problem on weekends like that.
"But while Damien Duff and Eidur Gudjohnsen (who crashed out of Euro 2004) are hurting a lot, the England boys like John, Joe, Wayne and Frank feel very strong."
Chelsea maintained their unbeaten Premiership record with a somewhat flattering 2-1 victory on Teesside and their severest critics suggest they have been lucky to grind out several other useful results so far this season.
But Ranieri's men have already captured the art of winning while not at their best. And that must be a grave warning to the rest of the Premiership - and perhaps Europe as well.
Ranieri is constantly under pressure to produce results with the shadow of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson hovering over him.
Tales suggesting it is only a matter of time before the Swede takes over from the Italian at Stamford Bridge just will not go away.
But England's success in clinching Euro 2004 qualification with a spirited goalless draw in Turkey on Saturday could have given Ranieri some breathing space - after Eriksson confirmed he is ready to go to the finals as England's manager.