When Leicester City welcomed Crystal Palace to Filbert Street on January 2, 1988, the result would go on to define their season.
There is certainly the same feeling of importance heading into Saturday afternoon's meeting.
On that day 27 years ago, struggling City fought back from 4-2 down to secure a 4-4 draw against an Eagles side flying high in the old Division Two.
Goals came from striker Paul Reid, a penalty from Gary McAllister, as well as from young defender Tony Brien and striker Steve Wilkinson, both making rare appearances in the first team.
Within the Palace team was a certain Alan Pardew, now in charge of the side he made 170 appearances for as a player.
The remarkable, if somewhat ironic, comeback from a side that had failed to score in their seven previous games sparked what was a dismal season into life.
The 1987-88 campaign had started as badly as the previous one had ended.
Having suffered relegation from Division One the season before, City went on to lose five of their first six games.
Something had to be done. Manager Bryan Hamilton signed the imposing strike duo of the 'Mighty Finn' Jari Rantanen, a Finland international from IFK Goterberg, and Mike Newell from Luton Town for a club-record £350,000.
Results picked up, but only briefly. City lost midfielder Ian Wilson to Everton for £300,000. Normality resumed.
The club embarked on a record run of seven games without a goal. Six defeats and a goalless draw saw them flirting firmly with relegation.
Amid this dire run, with City languishing, Hamilton was sacked.
David Pleat was named his successor, just two months after his successful spell at Tottenham had ended for what can only be described as 'non-footballing reasons'.
Support was beginning to fade. Attendances at Filbert Street had dropped to as low as 7,500 that season and were averaging just a few thousand more.
The eight-goal thriller that followed, then, came as quite a shock. The only thing more surprising was that 10,000 fans had still bothered to turn up.
Perhaps they had come to see the high-flying Eagles, who had fired in 56 goals in 26 games and were just a point off the top.
Against a side so relentless in front of goal, the last thing City wanted to do was gift the visitors easy goals. That was exactly what they did.
Young central defenders Phil Horner and Brien could hardly put a foot right.
Horner was at fault for Phil Barber's opener on 14 minutes before Brien, while managing to equalise five minutes later, quickly turned from hero to villain as his misplaced pass allowed Glenn Pennyfather to smash home a spectacular 25-yard half-volley.
McAllister scored from the penalty spot to put City back on level terms.
Again, it was short-lived. Horner, at fault once more, nodded into the path of Ian Wright, who gave Palace the lead for a third time.
It was extended four minutes from the break when Pardew set up Wright at the back-post.
At half-time, City looked dead and buried. But Reid inspired the resurrection in bizarre circumstances 10 minutes into the restart.
Palace keeper George Wood raced out of his area to the right touchline, only to clear the ball straight upfield to Reid who curled home from nearly 50 yards.
The comeback was complete soon after. Great work from Newell set up Wilkinson for his first goal for the club.
He almost won it for City late on, too, when he headed over from Rantanen.
"This is the fourth time I have seen the side now," said Pleat. "I am learning all the time and today I learned that they were never going to give up, no matter what."
And they didn't. The result sparked a dramatic upturn in results, seeing Leicester lose just three of their last 18 games, winning 10 and drawing five. City finished the season 13th and safe.Thanks to Leicester City historian John Hutchinson for his help on the article.
Leicester City: Andrews, James, Venus, Horner, Brien, Jobling, McAllister, Wilkinson, Newell, Ramsey, Reid. Subs: Morgan (51 for James) Rantanen (85 for Reid). Goals: Brien (19), McAllister (pen 32), Reid (54), Wilkinson (61)
Crystal Palace: Wood, Stebbing, Burke, Pennyfather, Nebbeling, Cannon, Pardew, Thomas, Barber, Wright, Redfearn. Subs: Bailey (85 for Barber), O'Doherty. Goals: Barber (14), Pennyfather (21), Wright (37, 41)
Attendance: 10,104
