Current leaders Valletta could extend their one-point lead at the top of the standings this weekend as their immediate rivals, Birkirkara and Sliema are involved in tricky matches.

While Valletta will be meeting Tarxien Rainbows this afternoon, Birkirkara face Marsaxlokk tomorrow and Sliema take on Qormi next Monday.

In the other two matches, Floriana face Vittoriosa Stars this afternoon, while Hamrun meet Hibernians tomorrow.

Not that Valletta will be having an easy match against Tarxien. In fact, the Rainbows have been a tough obstacle for the citizens in the past two seasons, expect on one occasion last year.

But so far this season, the Rainbows have failed to lift their performances to the levels of last season and are still struggling near the bottom end of the standings – one place from bottom with just four points from four matches.

Noel Coleiro’s side will have to show considerable improvement if they are to provide Valletta with decent opposition.

The citizens are slowly but surely getting into top gear and despite the 2-2 draw in their last match against Birkirkara, they showed that they were getting on the right track after a rather unimpressive start to the season.

Still, they have to be more deadly up front and score more goals from the chances they create.

Birkirkara face a tough encounter against Marsaxlokk and I would not be surprised were the teams to share one point each.

The Stripes were enthusiastic after their draw against what appeared to be a superior Valletta side last week, but they also have to show improvement at the back – on certain occasions, Manwel Bartolo may not be enough to keep adversaries at bay.

The southern seasiders have started the season on a positive note and together with Valletta, are still unbeaten so far.

Last week, they missed a good chance to bag another two points from the match against Hibernians (2-2) after squandering a two-goal lead.

Sliema also face a tough encounter against a Qormi side coached by Stephen Azzopardi, former mentor of the Blues.

It will be a big challenge for Azzopardi and his boys who, after their 2-1 victory over Tarxien, have moved to a mid-table position on six points, just two behind leaders Valletta, and one behind Sliema.

The Blues have made considerable improvement since the start of the season. After their dismal performance in the 4-1 defeat at the hands of Birkirkara, they have drawn one match and won the last two to move to joint second in the standings.

Mark Marlow’s side is now looking forward for a third consecutive win, but they will have to be on full alert to avoid any surprise.

Floriana seem to have a good chance of moving further up the standings as they face bottom placed Vittoriosa Stars this afternoon.

After their narrow, though controversial, 2-1 win against the Spartans, the Greens now look forward to another three points at the expense of the unlucky Stars.

Nothing seems to be going right for the newly promoted side but coach Winston Muscat and his boys are still hoping to turn things around in their forthcoming matches.

They have been unlucky on certain occasions, but they will also have to help their own cause by producing all-round improvement.

In the other match at the weekend, Hibernians will be facing Hamrun Spartans.

The latter will be eager to wipe away memories of the past two matches – two successive defeats – which have seen them dropping from first to fourth in the standings on six points, though one point ahead of the Paolites.

The Spartans were very unlucky to lose 1-2 against Floriana when playing with nine men.

On the other hand, Mark Miller’s Hibernians are surprisingly occupying a low mid-table position on just five points from four matches.

One might have expected much better from this side which includes several talented players. Perhaps their best is yet to come.