Louis Tomlinson and Bruce Springsteen are embroiled in a battle for this week’s UK number one album, according to the Official Charts Company.
If successful, the former One Direction star, 30, will secure his first number one record with Faith In The Future.
Tomlinson, who was recently forced to postpone a series of in-store signings for his new album after breaking his arm in a fall, previously made it to number four with his 2020 debut solo album Walls.
Up against Tomlinson is The Boss himself, 73-year-old Springsteen, with his 21st solo LP Only The Strong Survive.
The album, which features covers of R&B and soul songs, is Springsteen’s second cover album following the 2006 Grammy award-winning release We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.
If triumphant, Only The Strong Survive will become Springsteen’s 13th UK number one album, according to the Official Charts Company.
The battle is expected to see Her Loss – the latest offering from Drake and 21 Savage – and Taylor Swift’s record-breaking 10th studio album Midnights bumped down the chart.
Friday saw the end of Swift’s two-week reign at peak position on the album chart as Drake and 21 Savage swooped in at number one.
21 Savage has previously enjoyed top 40 success with his 2019 album I Am Greater Than I Was and his 2020 project with Metro Boomin, Savage Mode II.
Her Loss became Drake’s fifth UK chart-topper to date, and third in three years.
The Canadian rapper topped the chart with Views (2016), Scorpion (2018), Dark Lane Demo Tapes (2020) and Certified Lover Boy (2021).
Elsewhere on album chart, festive entries are beginning to appear, with Aled Jones and Russell Watson’s third collaborative album, Christmas With Aled And Russell, making its way in.
After reaching number 17 in its debut week, Andrea Bocelli’s family affair festive record A Family Christmas – featuring son Matteo and daughter Virginia – could be a big gainer, breaking back into the top 40 for a possible new peak of number 13.
Guns N’ Roses are also looking to enter the top 40 after rereleasing Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II – the third and fourth albums from the rock group, which originally charted at number one and number two respectively upon their original release in 1991.