A win over Jomo Cosmos in Friday night's Premier League game at Green Point will send Santos to second place on the log.
Both sides come off fine victories. Santos' 1-0 away to Wits at the weekend and Cosmos beat Sundowns by the same score to reach the final of the Coca-Cola Cup.
Afzal Khan the Santos manager said he was expecting another tough battle with Cosmos.
"We have always had difficult and tight games with Jomo Sono's team and this one should be no exception. It should be a tightly contested game with a close score," said Khan.
Santos will be without striker Abram Raselemane who went to Bloemfontein to be with his sick mother.
Namibian midfielder Ricardo Mannetti returns to the squad after attending the funeral of his brother in Namibia.
The Santos side is not likely to change much from the one that edged out neighbours Ajax 1-0 (golden goal) in the Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final a fortnight ago.
Santos will be looking to Mxolisi Mchunu, Vincent Sokhela and Mannetti to win the midfield battle against the likes of Macbeth Sibaya, Lucky Mhlathe and Dikgang Mabalane.
Dangerman for Cosmos is likely to be Manuel "Tico-Tico" Bucuane, whose goal against Sundowns was his seventh of the season.