On Sunday, 1 September, Lokomotiv and Krasnodar will play in the central match of the seventh round of the Russian championship. The railwaymen are the sensational leaders of the tournament. And Krasnodar, if they win, will be able to catch up with the Muscovites in the table. The Bulls still do not have a single defeat in the Russian championship.

Lokomotiv has produced an almost perfect six rounds in the RPL. The team has recorded five wins and by the game looks like a candidate for the championship title. The team must fight for medals. The young team has already been tested by CSKA and Rostov. Zheleznodorozhniki won all the matches. The only defeat - from Dynamo, but there was objectively unlucky with the realisation of chances - the players hit the bar several times.

Lokomotiv has a great attack: the club scored 15 goals in the championship alone. There were also very successful meetings in the Russian Cup. For example, in the middle of the week the railwaymen literally blew Khimki out of their way - 4-0. And in this match strictly reserves came out. Surprisingly, the club now has depth in the squad at the expense of young talent. Thus, the club has secured its exit from the group and in the cup tournament.

Krasnodar is still responding to Murad Musayev's critics with results rather than the quality of play. "Bulls" not in a spectacular manner, but solve problems as the season progresses. In the last round, the southerners were not without luck, but defeated Dynamo in Moscow - 1:0. It is important that the club stopped failing in defence, although this was previously characteristic of Murad Musayev's teams. Krasnodar have conceded only two goals in their last eight matches in all tournaments.

The Bulls are traditionally expected to play for a higher total, but there are no such results. In the current season, none of the matches involving Krasnodar have scored more than three goals - even including the Russian Cup.

Krasnodar's squad is gradually being defined: Cordoba and Spertsyan have not gone anywhere, new internationals are gaining form, which allows them to expect to fight for medals at the very least.

Bookmakers highlight Lokomotiv as the clear favourite, but there is no such a big difference in class between the teams now. There will be an even meeting, where the railwaymen may not be able to cope with the psychological pressure. Still, no one took the team seriously before the seventh round, but now they are put as favourites against a formidable opponent in great shape. Krasnodar will definitely play to win.

By all parameters, a productive game is seen. In face-to-face meetings, the rivals have a productive trend: in four matches out of five there was a bet on the exchange of goals. Now a duel without a centre of the pitch is also likely.