Naxxar Lions, Mosta, Qormi and Tarxien Rainbows will be engaged in a fascinating battle this evening as they look to avoid finishing third from bottom in the standings as the 10th-placed team in the top flight will face Division One side Gżira United in a relegation-promotion play-off next week.

These four sides, separated by just two points, have no margin for error.

The plum fixture is the derby between Naxxar Lions and Mosta at the National Stadium.

These two rivals met twice this season with the first-round clash ending in a 1-1 draw and Naxxar winning the second game 2-1.

The Lions, buoyed by their come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Sliema Wanderers last week, need a point to be safe but coach Jesmond Zerafa has no plans to set out for a draw.

“There are great expectations among our fans who are relishing the prospect of a final-day win over Mosta,” Zerafa, who has no selection problems, said.

“It’s true that a point would be enough for us but our goal is to win every match. Our performance against Sliema has given us a huge lift and we are determined to wrap up the season in style.”

Mosta coach Peter Smith must make do without three of his overseas players as English midfielder Gary Roberts and Gambian duo Alieu Darbo and Ousmane Koli will not form part of the squad today.

Last week, the Blues fought back from two goals down to claim a point in a 2-2 draw against Floriana.

Smith is hopeful that his players can build on that result.

“The draw against Floriana did not really change our situation but it was a massive psychological boost for the players who showed great resilience to come back from two goals down,” Smith said.

“Although we are aware of the difficulty in facing Naxxar, there is great belief among the players and I’m confident we can win the match.”

Another derby this evening sees Qormi take on already-relegated Żebbuġ Rangers at the Hibs Stadium.

Qormi must beat Żebbuġ for the first time this term to keep their Premier League status.

Their first meeting this season ended in a 1-1 draw while the Rangers took the honours in the return match, winning 1-0.

The Yellow-Blacks come into this decisive match on the back of two successive wins and coach Mark Miller is confident his players can finish the job tonight.

“There is no room for calculations, we need a win to reach our goal of retaining our top-flight status,” Miller said.

“When I took charge, Qormi were at the bottom of the standings but we have been on an upward trend since then.

“I’m confident that if we play to our best, we will get the three points needed to reach our objective.”

Left-back Emerson Vella is nursing a knee injury but otherwise Miller has a full squad at his disposal.

On his part, Alfonso Greco, the Żebbuġ coach, is without injured midfielder Thomas Paris.

Tarxien Rainbows will also fancy their chances of defeating Pietà Hotspurs, who were relegated to Division One last week.

The Rainbows must beat the Hotspurs to extend their stay in the top division for another season.

Coach Clive Mizzi is hopeful that Spanish duo Carlos Hevia and Jorge Yepes will declare themselves fit for the match.

Pietà will be without Brazilian midfielder Gabriel, suspended.

This season, Pietà and Tarxien figured in two goalless draws.

Programme

Playing today: (Hibs Stadium) 19.30 Żebbuġ Rangers vs Qormi. (National Stadium) 19.30 Mosta vs Naxxar Lions. (Tedesco Stadium) 19.30 Tarxien Rainbows vs Pietà Hotspurs.

Tomorrow: (National Stadium) 16.00 Hibernians vs Valletta.