The Bank of Valletta Premier League continues today with an unusual number of four matches.

This is because the two matches scheduled for last Friday and which were postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Ta’ Qali, have been rescheduled to be played today, also at Ta’ Qali.

The other two matches are being played at the Hibs Ground.

In the first match at Ta’ Qali, Valletta will be facing bottom club and luckless Pieta Hotspurs while in the match that follows, Hibernians will be meeting Floriana.

Both Hibernians and Valletta will be seeking to win the three points at stake in an effort to move closer to the leaders, Marsaxlokk. The latter have 25 points from 10 matches, while Hibs have 18 from nine and Valletta 17, also from nine matches.

The Paolites will also be doing their best to taste revenge over their rivals, who inflicted a heavy 4-1 defeat in the opening match.

That proved to be a false start by the Paolites, but since then, they have improved considerably and, at present, they are considered as serious challengers, along with Msida, to Marsaxlokk’s title pretensions.

Valletta are firm favourites to beat Pieta and secure another three points. Not only will they move closer to a Championship Pool place, but the citizens might also start harbouring hopes of eventually challenging for the title.

At the Hibs Ground in the opening match, lowly clubs St George’s and Marsa will be facing each other in an important clash for both teams. They both need points in their efforts to stave off relegation.

In their last encounters, St George’s almost beat Sliema Wanderers, losing 3-2 after suffering two goals in the final six minutes. On the other hand, Marsa figured in a 1-1 draw with second-placed Msida St Joseph.

The latter will try to consolidate that place when they face Birkirkara in the second match on the programme. Ibrahim Babatunde and Peter Pullicino are both expected back after serving a one-match suspension.

In the first round, Msida had humiliated the champions, winning that match 5-2, but it could be a different story this afternoon as the Stripes are now looking sharper with the return of striker Michael Galea following a four-month layoff through injury.

Galea had a most welcome return last week when he scored the last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw against leaders Marsaxlokk.