Maritzburg United will be eager to hand high-flying Cape Town City their first defeat of the year when the two outfits meet at Harry Gwala Stadium tonight (7.30pm).

City, alongside Royal AM, are the only unbeaten side in the league in 2022, boasting a similar score of four wins and two draws from six DStv Premiership games this year. City and Royal are therefore joint leaders of the calendar standings.

The Citizens have racked up three victories in successive with their 5-1 demolition of Baroka last Sunday – the last of the three back-to-back wins.

Maritzburg vice-coach Maahier Davids sounded rather positive they can stun City, acknowledging their splendid record of 2022. The Cape side will tonight be without their influential midfielder Mduduzi Mdantsane who received the red card on Sunday against Bakgaga.   

"It's good that we watched their game against Baroka where they won convincingly 5-1. They have now won three games in a row and they're still unbeaten in the league this year, so of course they're on form. We have to make sure we're well-prepared to put in a good fight. Hopefully, we can come out with maximum points,'' said Davids.

Davids, who's the younger sibling of Orlando Pirates' co-coach Fadlu, underlined that City are more dangerous on both flanks, naming skipper and right-back Thami Mkhize, Craig Martin and left-back Terrence Mashego as the players they must close down.

"City have a certain structure. They are quiet good on the sides, really overloading both sides... Mkhize coming inside and inverting sometimes, overlapping from that side and then there's a speedy Martin. On the other side there's Mashego, a really dynamic player on the left side,'' said Davids.

Meanwhile, City head coach Eric Tinkler implied Thato Mokeke will start in suspended Mdantsane's slot.

"I am disappointed that we lost Mdu [Mdantsane] and I think the second yellow was harsh, but at least Mokeke returns after serving his suspension,'' noted Tinkler.