Consecutive defeats by Manchester United and Chelsea see Charlton lying 12th, five points above their neighbours, so both managers are desperate to get back to winning ways.
Dowie said: "It's a key period which always forms the season and we have got to make sure we get some big results."
Curbishley insists that Palace's promotion and Millwall's Championship status now make the clash south London's premier derby.
Curbishley said: "Palace are probably our main rivals now with how things have gone recently and the days of renting at Selhurst."
Having spent just £4million on 13 players, Dowie can only glance enviously at the funds Curbishley now has at his disposal following the £10m sale of Scott Parker.
He said: "They were surprisingly big spenders before the window closed, spending seven or eight million pounds."
With a month to go until the Premiership transfer window reopens, both managers will be looking to add to their squads.
Curbishley is being linked with a £3.5m bid for the Argentine league's top scorer Lisandro Lopez, while Dowie says he is "monitoring a couple of targets very closely".
Meanwhile, Charlton defender Hermann Hreidarsson has shaken off a back injury to face his former club.
But Palace striker Nicola Ventola faces at least two more weeks out after injuring his ankle in training. Defender Gonzalo Sorondo (hamstring) is also still sidelined.
