Serbian leaders Partizan Belgrade aim to tighten their grip on the league by ending a seven-year winless home streak against champions and city foes Red Star in the derby on Saturday.

Partizan are five points ahead of second-placed Red Star. Defeat would throw the title race wide open.

“Victory is the only thing on our minds because we haven’t beaten Red Star here for too long,” Partizan coach Slavisa Jokanovic told a news conference on Friday.

“We have also lost many games to them against the run of play and this time we want to win any way we can,” said Jokanovic, who took over from Serbia manager Miroslav Djukic in January.

Red Star captain Dejan Milovanovic, who scored a superb free kick in last month’s 4-1 rout of Partizan, believes only a win would give the 1991 European Cup winners a realistic hope of retaining the league title.

“We need those three vital points to cut the deficit and give ourselves a fighting chance of overtaking them,” he said.

“It’s going to be an uphill task as Partizan are a very good side but we are completely focused on the task and confident we can do it,” he said.

Red Star will be at full strength while Partizan will be missing injured Nemanja Rnic, Juca and Djordje Lazic as well as suspended striker Lamine Diarra.