Borussia Dortmund host Mainz at the Signal Iduna Park in the Bundesliga on Friday, aiming to extend their winning run in the competition to six games.
Der BVB are only six points behind leaders Bayern Munich with 13 games remaining in the top-flight campaign as the title race heats up ahead of the home stretch.
But admittedly, their last two wins weren't the most convincing: a late double from Serhou Guirassy helped beat bottom-side Heidenheim before another heroic winner from the Guinean helped see off Wolfsburg last weekend.
Niko Kovac's side are walking on eggshells here, riding their luck to see off their lowly opponents, and that could come to bite them anytime. Mainz's upward trajectory is a warning.
The 05ers have won their last three consecutive Bundesliga fixtures and four of their last five as Urs Fischer has steered the side clear of choppy waters of relegation.
Their recent surge has seen them climb up to 14th place on the league table with 21 points from 21 games, four clear of the bottom-two.
Another high-scoring affair?
Dortmund and Mainz have played out some pulsating clashes in recent times. In fact, five of the last seven meetings between the sides have seen at least three goals in a match.
The first league meeting of this season was an anomaly, as Dortmund won 2-0 in a game of few chances, but it could get more exciting at the Signal Iduna Park.
For the record, Dortmund are unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga all season, winning eight of their 10 clashes so far while Mainz have scored in six consecutive matches in the competition right now.
Mainz's defensive struggles
Mainz have made serious progress under Fischer, but defense remains their Achilles heel. They have conceded in 18 out of 21 league fixtures this season, a worrying trend depicting their sloppy backline.
In the last top-flight clash against Augsburg, the 05ers managed to keep a clean sheet but that's rather an anomaly than a trend as it was just their third clean sheet in the Bundesliga this season.
Dortmund wary of Mainz's big-game mentality
Mainz are not only on a good run of form, but have given the stronger teams a serious run for their money. Most notably, they held Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena last month.
They didn't stop there. The Carnival Club then beat RB Leipzig away from home in yet another stunning result as they fought back from a goal down to win 2-1.
Suffice to say, they won't be intimidated by Dortmund's ferocious run in the Bundesliga and can pose a serious threat to their mighty hosts here, promising an entertaining affair.