Naxxar Lions vs Pietà Hotspurs (today at 2pm, Tedesco Stadium).
Pietá Hotspurs lead Naxxar Lions by four points after winning two and drawing one of their last three matches.
Both teams are lurking in the danger zone but, while the Hot-spurs are on a roll, Naxxar have been unable to get their season off the ground after failing to win in their opening nine games.
The Lions produced a com-mendable performance against Valletta but still succumbed to a 2-0 defeat despite having an extra man on the pitch for most of the second half after Hugo Faria was dismissed on 55 minutes.
For today’s must-win game, coach Jesmond Zerafa is missing defender David Alejandro Reano, suspended, but Andrew Scicluna is back after serving a ban.
Another plus for Zerafa is the return of Argentine midfielder Pablo Doffo who has recovered from injury.
Noel Coleiro, the Pietà Hotspurs coach, is hopeful of having a full squad at his disposal as Argentine forward Claudio Frances, Bra-zilian defender Leonardo Fortu-nato and Terence Agius are in line to make their comeback from injury.
Tarxien Rainbows vs Floriana (tomorrow at 2pm, Tedesco Stadium).
This is clash between two teams that are determined to climb into the top half of the table. Only one point separates Tarxien, in eighth place, and Floriana.
A 1-0 defeat to Qormi put an end to Tarxien’s positive run last week but their hopes of getting back to winning form are buoyed by the return of a host of key players.
Brazilian forward Wesley, defender Owen Bugeja and midfielder Matthew Tabone missed the Qormi upset through suspension while Spanish midfielder Carlinos is back in the frame after seeing out a three-match ban.
Tarxien coach Clive Mizzi still faces some selection dilemmas as his two regular goalkeepers, Jonathan Debono (injury) and Sean Cini (suspended), are out of the equation.
Sean Mintoff is in line to guard Tarxien’s goal against Floriana, the team he left after just one Premier League game this season.
Firas Aboulezz is sidelined with a back problem and midfielder Triston Caruana is highly doubtful after injuring his back in a fall during training.
The mood within the Floriana squad is upbeat after their stunning come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Mosta halted a run of four matches without a win.
Slovenian striker Vito Plut must be brimming with confidence after scoring a brace last weekend but his attacking partner, Italian Matteo Piciollo, will sit out tomorrow’s game after being handed a one-match ban.
Coach Giovanni Tedesco also has injury concerns over Sacha Borg, Emmanuel Briffa and Conor Borg.
Mosta vs Hibernians (tomorrow at 4.15pm, Tedesco Stadium).
Mosta clearly face a mammoth task to end their four-match losing streak as they will be up against leaders Hibernians who have made a blistering start to the season.
While the struggling Blues forfeited a two-goal lead in their defeat to Floriana, theh Paolites extended their unbeaten run to nine games after a 1-0 win over Birkirkara.
Mosta midfielder Ryan Grech starts a three-match ban following his red card last weekend.
For Hibs, Brazilian wing-back Marcelo Dias is back in the reckoning after suspension kept him out of the Birkirkara game but young midfielder Johann Bezzina is still struggling with an ankle problem.
Promising youngster Timothy Tabone Desira, who replaced Dias last weekend, is ranked doubtful after picking up a knock in training this week.