Champions Sliema Wanderers will be seeking to join Birkirkara at the top of the standings tomorrow, although the Stripes will have the chance to reclaim pole position on Monday evening.

The programme this weekend starts today with two matches. Another two games will be played tomorrow and it will be concluded on Monday.

Playing first today will be neighbours Hamrun Spartans and Pieta Hotspurs and that will quickly be followed by the Floriana-Hibernians match.

Tomorrow, Sliema and Mosta face each other before Valletta take on Msida St Joseph.

On Monday, Birkirkara will have a stern test as they face Marsaxlokk.

Hamrun will be seeking to obtain their first point or points of the season as they face Pieta Hotspurs in today’s opening match.

The two sides fell a cropper in their last outing. Hamrun, playing their first match, went down 2-1 to Marsaxlokk, while the Hotspurs were crushed 4-0 by Hibernians.

The two sides do not entertain any hopes of fighting for the championship, but at such an early stage, it already seems that they will be serious candidates for the fight to avoid the drop.

In the second match today, former Rabat, Hibernians and Sliema W. striker Adrian Mifsud will be making his debut for Floriana as the Greens take on the Paolites.

For the Greens it is already an important match. It is their third this season, but they have only garnered one point so far after having drawn against Valletta and lost to Pieta.

Hibs had started the season on a negative note, losing heavily 3-0 to Sliema, but last week, they beat Pieta 4-0 with a more than convincing performance.

The Paolites now seek to extend their positive run to remain in touch with the leaders.

Tomorrow Sliema face Premier league newcomers Mosta, both playing their second encounter. The two sides claimed a win in their opening match, but while Mosta defeated Msida 2-1, Sliema were much more convincing in their 3-0 win over Hibernians.

Of course, the Blues are firm favourites to collect the three points which would see them joining the Stripes, at least temporarily, at the top of the standings.

Mosta know their obvious limitations. Their aim is to avoid relegation and they started their long campaign in a positive way. Of course, they are aware of the difficult task facing them tomorrow, but one must also be fair to state that they, like Sliema, could also join Birkirkara on top if they beat the Wanderers.

The Stripes will be in action on Monday when facing Marsaxlokk in what should be considered as the top clash of the weekend.

After their first two matches, the Stripes, especially coach Stephen Azzopardi, must be aware that he will have to tighten his defence even if his players continue scoring the goals that matter.

Marsaxlokk, in fact, will certainly be no push-overs and the Stripes are not guaranteed another high-scoring performance. On their part, the southern seasiders will be expected to offer a very stiff challenge.

They have been very active on the summer transfer market, but they will have to show a marked improvement over their first match performance to be able to withstand Birkirkara’s power.

Marsaxlokk, with three experienced foreigners and several former Under 21 national team players among their ranks, are being considered as healthy outsiders for this year’s championship.

But coach Atanas Marinov will first have to mould all these assets into a formidable outfit which is capable of delivering the goods.