The competition could have a completely new face tomorrow evening following the weekend matches.

In fact, Hibernians and Marsaxlokk could both overtake current leaders Msida St Joseph if they win their weekend matches. On the same lines, Msida could also retain the leadership if they win tomorrow’s clash against Marsaxlokk.

The programme sees Hibernians facing lowly Pieta Hotspurs while Msida will be facing Marsaxlokk in tomorrow’s second match. Valletta and St George’s will be clashing this afternoon while tomorrow, the Floriana-Marsa game will be the first on the programme.

After last weekend’s clashes, we now have the fifth round. At present, we have three teams flying very high – Msida St Joseph, Hibernians and Marsaxlokk. Four others – Sliema, Birkirkara, Valletta and Floriana - seem to be having a mixed start to the season and are struggling to find a good and consistent rhythm. The rest are proving to be fighters all the way, especially Marsa, but they do not yet have the potential and experience to trouble the teams above them.

And with Msida having such a fantastic start to the season, it is obvious that all eyes will be on them this weekend as they face another veritable test, this time against the in-form Marsaxlokk side.

The latter, under Brian Talbot’s hands, started the season with a narrow defeat at the hands of Birkirkara, but since then, they have registered three excellent victories which have rocketed them to joint second place. A victory tomorrow over the current leaders will push them into top place, probably alongside Hibernians.

But Msida will definitely not be staring at their opponents. Tomorrow, they will have star striker Daniel Nwoke back in the side after serving his one-match suspension against Valletta. He and Ibrahim Babatunde are proving to be one of the most lethal attacking combinations with both players capable of penetrating opposing defences with ease and scoring the goals that matter. This duo has become the envy of many a top side, including Sliema and Birkirkara who have found it difficult to find opponents’ nets on many an occasion.

This is expected to be the most important clash this weekend. Marsaxlokk will certainly try to end Msida’s unbeaten run, while the Saints will be looking forward to return to winning form after the draw against Valletta, thus maintaining top position in the standings and confirming their presence up there is no fluke.

Hibernians seem to have the easiest of matches this weekend, having to face bottom placed Pieta Hotspurs, who have collected just one point so far.

The Hotspurs are a major disappointment this season and their first point of the season only arrived the past weekend as they figured in a 1-1 draw with companions-in-distress St George’s.

Against the Paolites today, it will be another uphill task. Robert Gatt’s boys are again brimming with new-found confidence. The same as Marsaxlokk, after a disastrous start, they have registered three impressive victories.

They should not fail to collect maximum points from this afternoon’s clash.

Also today, Valletta should also start as hot favourites to beat St George’s to move up the standings.

After making a welcome return to the side last weekend, central defender Massimo Grima might also be utilised by coach Paul Zammit from the start this afternoon, where Valletta are also expected to have back among their ranks Branko Nisevic and freescoring Argentine striker Sebastian Monesterolo, both of them suspended for last week’s match against Msida St Joseph.

St George’s are finding the going hard even if they have managed two points from two draws against teams below them in the standings. The Saints’ aim this season is to try and avoid relegation and they apparently know that points from such matches will be difficult to achieve, although winning a point or more today could be considered as a bonus.

Tomorrow, Marsa face the same fate against Floriana whose positive run was arrested last week as they went down 4-2 to Marsaxlokk.

The Greens had started the season on a top note with three positive results. After the recent defeat, one expects them to rebound immediately as they have a good opportunity to do so against newly-promoted Marsa.

The Red Blues, as already said, have given all opponents a good run for their money, but they have finished almost always on the losing end, due to their youngsters still being inexperienced.