While Hibernian and Rangers are set to feature as the main event in the Scottish Premiership's fixture calendar, the two sides may find they take second billing to the state of the Easter Road pitch when viewers tune in to coverage of the match on Wednesday evening.
The rutted and scarred turf reduced the Hibees' last home game against Kilmarnock to a turgid affair in which clear chances were near impossible to come by.
The impact of the bitter winter weather has done the surface in Leith no favours and there has been little sign of conditions abating in the 11 days since Alex Gogic rattled home Hibs' second in the 2-0 win over Alex Dyer's men.
The Capital has been battered by sheets of rain, sudden flurries of snow, icy temperatures and blankets of frost, giving lead groundsman Colin Fraser no respite in his valiant efforts to keep the pitch playable.
Jack Ross admitted he was delighted to "win ugly" against Killie in the hosts' last league outing, conceding after the final whistle that the turf needed "more resources".
And while he is yet to clap eyes on conditions since that afternoon, the Easter Road boss hinted he would have to adapt his tactics to suit the imperfect surface.
That could see the return of Christian Doidge up front, with the Welsh target man in the frame to partner Kevin Nisbet in conditions unlikely to favour an eye-catching passing display.
"I haven't seen the pitch since the Kilmarnock game but certainly that day it wasn't good," he said.
"We had to adjust our approach in that game at half-time so we're aware of it and I think it is something you have to adjust to.
"Common sense dictates you have to adapt to conditions and right now our pitch isn't in the best of conditions and that will determine how we play at times."
