David v Goliath, wooden-spoon favourite v championship favourite - call it what you want, Southern United faces a daunting challenge at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight.
League leader Auckland City, a team that has not lost a game all season, will visit Southern United, a team languishing at the bottom of the ladder with one win from 12 games.
It will be a major upset if the home side even manages to snatch a draw against the team that has won the national league three times in the past four years.
While Wellington, Canterbury United and WaiBOP United appear to have closed the gap on Auckland City, Southern United will always find it hard due to the financial gap between the teams.
While the latest figures are unavailable, Auckland City received almost $800,000 in trust funding in 2014, compared with just $80,000 for Southern United.
The Auckland club's financial statements show it banked about $4.6 million in revenue from Fifa prize money, gaming grants and sponsorship between 2011 and last year.
That includes the $1.6 million it received for finishing third in the Fifa Club World Cup at the end of 2014.
The other $1.6 million for finishing third was split between the other ASB Premiership teams.
While Auckland City has always said it does not pay its players to play, it does pay expenses to a maximum of $300 a week for players who coach in the community.
Southern United, which has fewer players to choose from and struggles to attract players to the region, does not pay its players.
Some players have even missed a bunch of games this season due to work commitments.
‘‘It's been a very difficult season for us on and off the park,'' Southern United coach Mike Fridge said.
‘‘We don't have the finances, backing and the strength and depth that other teams have.
Auckland is arguably the best side in the country, so we have got nothing to lose.
‘‘That's what I will be saying to the boys. Let's go out and have a go, let's see what happens.''
Southern United was beaten 3-1 by Auckland City when they met early last month, but at one stage the match was locked up at 1-1.
But since that loss, the team's losing streak has extended to nine games, including an ugly 6-0 loss to Waitakere United last month.
Injuries and the unavailability of players have hampered the team all season, and nothing has changed for tonight's game.
Striker Josh Stewart (ankle), defender Ross Howard (knee) and defender Shawn O'Brien (hip) are all out injured.
Midfielder Hamish Cotter has moved to Christchurch to start university and Tom Connor and Mitchell Carter are unavailable due to work commitments.
Midfielder Stu Kelly, who missed last week due to a one-match suspension for being sent off against Wellington, returns to the side.
‘‘We've got a side out there,'' Fridge said.
‘‘At the end of the day, it's 11 players v 11 players. We just want to put in a good performance. It's live on Sky and it's our last home game of the season.''
Southern United will wrap up its season with a South Island derby against Canterbury United next weekend.
It will bring Fridge's two-year contract as coach to an end. He and the club's board will then meet and decide whether or not he will return for a third season.
‘‘I'm going to concentrate on seeing the season out,'' he said.
‘‘Obviously, I would love to win these last two games, and then we will sit down at the end of the season and the club and I will decide.
‘‘I haven't given it much thought.''
