Sunderland and Ipswich are both in need of a positive reaction when they meet at the Stadium of Light this weekend, after both losing crunch games last time out.
Giants of the English third tier, the pair were tipped to be neck and neck with one-another before the season kicked off, but the campaign hasn't quite transpired that way for either side.
Things have gone slightly better for the Tractor Boys, with Paul Lambert's side sitting fourth in the league table, as opposed to Sunderland who are now outside of the play-off places once again, albeit with a game in hand.
But after meeting expectations early on and being the early pace-setters in the division, Ipswich's form has dwindled and they'll arrive on Wearside at the weekend off the back of a demoralising 4-1 defeat to promotion rivals Peterborough, who leapfrogged them in the table in the process.
Following the defeat, Lambert said: "The lads will bounce back. They'll bounce back as quick as they can. We're five points off it [top spot], it's not a major disaster.
“We've got the Easter period, which will determine a lot of stuff. There's a really long, long way to go."
Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson is looking for his own reaction, however. Like Ipswich, on Saturday Sunderland lost to promotion rivals in Portsmouth, and the result meant Portsmouth moved ahead of them and back into the play-off places.
The result also ended a nine-game unbeaten run for the Black Cats, and Parkinson is expecting a response from his side.
“We have got to concentrate on what we have done well in recent weeks,” he said.
“In the first half when we played and switched it, we looked excellent. We passed it well and got into some great positions. There were two penalty decisions that went against us.
“It was frustrating and then in the second half they were better than us.
“We have got to dust ourselves down and move onto next week. We will be ready for Ipswich Town this weekend.”
But who, on paper, will be more likely to bounce back? Given both sides have lost seven times each in the league this term, it's an easy test to judge.
Last season, Sunderland became known for their bounce-back ability and didn't lose two on the bounce until the final two games of the regular season. Manager Jack Ross took pride in his side's character.
This season has proven a little more difficult, however - especially after a run of just two wins in Parkinson's first 14 games in charge between October and Christmas.
After their previous six league defeats this season though, Sunderland have won three of their next league games and drawn one, picking up a total of ten points from a possible 18.
That means their bouncebackability is still considerably better than Ipswich's, with Lambert's side winning just one of their league games that followed a defeat, while drawing another two. That totals five points from a possible 18.
The form book is most certainly in Sunderland's favour too.
The defeat at Fratton Park was Sunderland's first defeat in 10 games. In that same period, Ipswich have won three, drawn three, but lost four.
Perhaps a confidence boost and psychological victory for Parkinson's side heading into the game of the League One giants, who had been expected to run away with the two automatic promotion spots this term.
