As Unai Emery and Patrick Vieira shook hands at Villa Park in the wake of Aston Villa's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, one manager knew Premier League safety was all but assured for next season.
The other knew he had been roped into an almighty scrap for survival.
A sizeable chasm has now emerged between the top 11 and bottom nine. They may be 12th in the table, but Palace's league position flatters to deceive.
In terms of points, the Eagles are now closer to the foot of the table than they are to Aston Villa directly above them, with just a six-point gap separating them from rock-bottom side Bournemouth.