MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - The 27th round of the Russian Premier League gets off to an early start on Friday as new CSKA Moscow trainer Leonid Slutsky leads the army side into action for the time.

CSKA kick off against Terek at 6 p.m. Moscow time (15:00 GMT) in their first match since the departure of Juande Ramos, following a run of two wins in seven games. The Spaniard was in charge for just six weeks before being replaced by Slutsky on Monday.

The former Krylya Sovetov coach will expect a good start against Terek, who lie 10th in the Russian league, a comfortable nine points above the final relegation place with four games to go. CSKA are in the fifth and final European spot, just a point ahead of Lokomotiv Moscow but still hoping to catch Zenit St. Petersburg, four points ahead in the third Champions League place.

CSKA's fixture was moved to Friday to give the players an extra day off ahead of Tuesday's visit to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the Champions League. The English champions dominated the Muscovites in a 1-0 victory at Luzhniki last week.

Russian title holders Rubin also play on Friday ahead of their clash with Barcelona in Kazan on Wednesday. The Catalan giants will be hungry for revenge after the Tatars' stunning 2-1 win in the Nou Camp blew the group, also including Inter Milan and Dynamo Kiev, wide open.

Rubin are just a point ahead of Spartak Moscow, but face an uncertain test in Kazan against Krylya Sovetov. The league leaders struggled after the start of the Champions League and have been better away from home this season, but could be back on track after narrow victories over Rostov and Khmiki.

A win for Rubin would put the pressure on Spartak, who briefly went top last weekend when they played before Rubin, but the perennial 1990s champions should even so have too much for Rostov on Sunday, and their opponents may look to their final three games against the lesser lights of Saturn, Tom Tomsk and Amkar to ensure their Premier League status.

The game of the weekend could be in Moscow on Saturday, when third-placed Zenit take on FC Moskva, who will go level with the Petersburgers with a win. Zenit had won six straight before last weekend's draw at home to struggling Spartak Nalchik, while the Moscow side is coming off their impressive 3-1 victory over CSKA, which may have sealed Ramos' fate.

There is better to come, however, as the Russian season enters its final month, with Zenit and CSKA still to play both Rubin and Spartak before the title is decided, possibly in the final round of games on the last weekend in November.

Weekend fixtures

Friday, October 30

CSKA Moscow v Terek

Rubin v Krylya Sovetov

Saturn v Khimki

Saturday, October 31

FC Moskva v Zenit St. Petersburg

Dynamo Moscow v Amkar

Sunday, November 1

Tom Tomsk v Lokomotiv Moscow

Spartak Moscow v Rostov

Spartak Nalchik v Kuban