A struggling Ashanti Gold SC will face a tough task in their survival quest when they welcome title holders Wa All Stars to the Len Clay stadium on Sunday.
The Miners are last on the league log with only two wins in the season. Even though a win on Sunday won't take them out of drop zone, they need it to cushion their morale in subsequent games.
Their troubles got compounded when they suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss to Ebusua Dwarfs last Sunday in Cape Coast.
CK Akonnor is chasing his first victory as the head coach of the club since taking over from Bashiru Hayford.
The absence of Prince Owusu could affect the Obuasi based side in their search of a win.
He got injured against Ebusua Dwarfs last Sunday.
The talented winger has scored two goals in the last two appearances for the bottom club.
Wa All Stars bottled out an opportunity of moving into the top four on the league table last weekend when they lost 1-0 at to Bechem United after failing to convert a penalty in the dying minutes.
They remain 7th on the table and will need a win on Sunday to recover from their slumber last week as their title defence chances look very slim.
The Northern Blues make the journey to Obuasi without trio Mathew Kelvin Andoh, Maxwell Baako and Nicholas Mensah are on the injury list.
Saddick Alhassan is likely to return to the squad for Sunday's game after missing last weekend's fixture against the Hunters.
Newly signed Iddrisu Abdul Nafiu could make his debut if selected by coach Enos Kwame Adipah on Sunday.
MATCH FACTS
HEAD TO HEAD
Total league meetings = 18
Ashanti Gold SC wins = 7
Wa All Stars wins = 4
Drawn matches = 7
~ Ashanti Gold SC are winless in their last seven premier league matches. They have only one win in their last twelve.
(W0 D2 L5)
~ Wa All Stars have won just two of their last nine fixtures in the premier league.
(W2 D4 L3)
~ Ashanti Gold SC have managed only one victory in their last six home games in the premiership.
(W1 D2 L3)
~ Wa All Stars have lost just one of their last six away matches in the premier league.
(W2 D3 L1)
~ Ashanti Gold SC have lost only once at home to Wa All Stars in the league after nine meetings.
(W5 D3 L1)
~ Wa All Stars have beaten Ashanti Gold SC just once in their last six clashes in the premier league.
(W1 D3 L2)
~ Ashanti Gold SC have kept only one clean sheet in the premiership this season after fourteen weeks.
~ Wa All Stars have managed to keep three clean sheets in their seven away premiership matches this campaign.
By Nuhu Adams