Russia's Leicester in the hunt for unlikely league title (The Associated Press)

Just as the rise of the underdogs in England this season has raised fears for the health of giants like Chelsea and Manchester United, so the success of Rostov, a club little known abroad, has prompted Russian pundits to suggest their top clubs could be stagnating ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Saturday's 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow, which has a record nine Russian titles, wasn't pretty but it was effective, following Rostov's usual recipe. Two headed goals - one from a free kick, one on the counter - plenty of long balls and solid defending for a fifth consecutive shutout mean Rostov is a point clear with eight games to play.