Saints boss Jim Mallinder was smiling before his side's clash with the Scarlets but he wasn't afterwards © Getty Images

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Matches: Northampton Saints 30 - 8 Saracens

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: England | Northampton Saints | Saracens

Both Northampton and Saracens will be intent on bouncing back from disappointing defeats in Europe when they collide in one of the most eagerly-awaited Aviva Premiership clashes of the season so far.

After struggling terribly without their international contingent during the World Cup, the Saints began surged up the table on the back of three successive victories. However, they were left heartbroken by a last-gasp drop goal from Ronan O'Gara in their Heineken Cup opener against Munster a fortnight ago before then being left shell-shocked after being upset at home by Scarlets last weekend. How the Saints respond to those monumental setbacks will be fascinating.

Saracens also experienced disappointment in European action but they remain well in contention for a place in the knockout stages after picking up a losing bonus point in their narrow defeat by Biarritz in Basque country.

Indeed, that loss will have done little to dent the confidence of a side that has won seven successive games in the Premiership since losing to Wasps at Wembley on the opening day of the new season.

Northampton Saints - Player to Watch: Lee Dickson hits three figures for the Saints and although he has never really made an impact on the international scene, he is one of the most consistent half-backs in the Premiership.

Northampton Saints - Team News: Ben Foden starts at fullback for the Saints with Chris Ashton and Jamie Elliot taking the wing berths. George Pisi and James Downey start in the centres with Ryan Lamb and Dickson at half-back. Soane Tonga'uiha, skipper Dylan Hartley and Paul Doran-Jones form the front-row with Courtney Lawes and Mark Sorensen providing the grunt behind them. Phil Dowson, Tom Wood and Roger Wilson start in the back-row.

Saracens - Player to Watch: Brad Barritt is one of the most consistent players in the Premiership but now is the time for him to force the England selectors to pick him at inside centre in the national team. Uncertainty is raging through the RFU and with a line drawn in the sand, there are opportunities for players to force their way into the reckoning.

Saracens - Team News: Owen Farrell starts the match at fly half with Carlos Nieto, Mouritz Botha and Alex Goode all returning to the starting line-up for the match. Hooker John Smit makes his debut in the Premiership, but fly half Charlie Hodgson is ruled out with the knee injury that saw him leave the field at half time last weekend in Biarritz. On the bench, back row Jackson Wray returns after missing the last six weeks with an ankle injury

Key Battle: It is the battle of the forgotten man of English rugby, Steve Borthwick, up against Courtney Lawes of Northampton. With Borthwick a guru of the lineout department, he will aim to show Lawes that he can still cut it on the international scene.

Trivia: Saracens have lost just one of their last 20 matches in the Aviva Premiership

Stats: Northampton's Stephen Myler is the most deadly goal-kicker in the league, with a success rate of 90%

Quote Unquote:

"Lee is a good person to have around the squad. His enthusiasm is infectious and he sets himself very high standards, something which also has a good effect on the other players in the squad."
- Northampton Saints boss Jim Mallinder lauds Lee Dickson

"When Richard Wigglesworth's injury ruled him out for the rest of the season, we decided not to sign any other cover at scrum-half. That's a measure of how well Ben has performed since arriving."
- Mark McCall lauds young scrum-half Ben Spencer with Richard Wigglesworth and Neil de Kock both ruled out with long-term injuries

Prediction: Northampton put in one of the worst performances of Jim Mallinder's reign against the Scarlets last weekend, according to the coach, and will struggle against a Saracens side who are showing the same type of form which secured them a Premiership title last season.