LOI preview: Hoops face strongest challenger Derry

Derry City travel to Tallaght Stadium tonight, ready to test the progress made under Ruaidhri Higgins in a match that will help prove if they can last the pace in the SSE Airtricity League title race with Shamrock Rovers.

Having seen the Hoops take over at the top of the table and defeat the likes of St Patrick's Athletic, Bohemian, Dundalk and Sligo Rovers in recent weeks, many observers feel Derry are the only true challenger for Stephen Bradley's men.

It would be ominous for the rest of the league if the home side took another three points in this fixture at Tallaght Stadium.

Having used their squad to dismantle Sligo Rovers in the space of a matter of minutes through a quadruple substitution, weaknesses appear few and far between for the current back-to-back league winners.

It's the game of the season on Friday in the @SSEAirtricityLg The top two clash as @ShamrockRovers face @derrycityfc in Tallaght Stadium on @RTE2 and @RTEplayer from 7.30pm. Champions meet challenger. The first meeting produced this moment of magic.pic.twitter.com/uP6qiPKNHd

While Shamrock Rovers were winning games relatively comfortable, both Pat's and Bohs have taken points off Derry as their advantage off the top evaporated.

City have already toppled them once, through Jamie McGonigle's memorable winner, but tonight's away fixture will be considerably more difficult with the Dublin outfit slow to find their groove early in the season.

Bradley is unsure if it is only Derry the only club capable of going toe-to-toe with his side.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: "I don't know (if anyone else will emerge apart from Derry), we'll see.

"We're in a similar scenario to this time last year, with Sligo, but it looks like Derry are going to be there for the