Five things to look out for in the DStv Premiership this weekend

After another international break, which at least brought two Bafana Bafana Afcon qualifying wins, the DStv Premiership returns this weekend, with all 16 teams in action. Phakaaathi editor Jonty Mark picks his five biggest talking points ahead of the resumption.

What do Kaizer Chiefs do with Lebo Manyama?

Lebogang Manyama. Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Phakaaathi reported this week that Lebo Manyama is on the brink of a getting a new three-year contract at Amakhosi, and he surely deserves it on the back of a tremendous 2019/20 season under Ernst Middendorp, where if they had won the title he would surely have grabbed at least one PSL Award at the end of the campaign.

This season under Gavin Hunt, however, Manyama has been part of a Chiefs attacking malaise that has seen not a single goal netted by an Amakhosi attacker, or even a midfielder.

Manyama has played every game under Hunt thus far on the right wing, and it hasn’t really worked out for him, but then it also didn’t really work when Molefi Ntseki gave him a more central role with Bafana Bafana against Sao Tome. Manyama’s seven goals and ten assists in all competitions for Chiefs last season were vital to the cause and they need to find a way to get him ticking again, starting against Golden Arrows on Saturday.

Can Orlando Pirates stamp some authority on SuperSport United?

Josef Zinnbauer has Pirates on the up and up. Pic: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates have had their difficulties against Matsatsana over the years, from losing two Nedbank Cup finals on the trot to them in 2016 and 2017, to Muhsin Ertugral’s Pirates being utterly humiliated in a 6-1 defeat that led to Muhsin Ertugral’s live resignation in November 2016.

More recently, results have been more even, with the Buccaneers winning their last two home league games against SuperSport, and losing the two on the road.

With this game at Orlando Stadium it gives Pirates the advantage, and more so given that Josef Zinnbauer’s side are on a bit of a roll, with three wins in a row, including a slaughtering of Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 semifinals. Pirates’ strength in depth this season means they should miss the likes of Thembinkosi Lorch too much, and should have too much for SuperSport, who are coming off the back of losing their own MTN8 semifinal to Bloemfontein Celtic.

AmaZulu could pose a post-international break problem for Mamelodi Sundowns

Can Luvuyo Memela stun Sundowns on Sunday? Pic: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

AmaZulu have come into the new season buoyed by a chequebook-waving new owner, though the results have been mixed, a fighting draw with Pirates and a win over Black Leopards opposed by a loss at newbies TS Galaxy.

So many new signings will take time to bed in, though Luvuyo Memela has certainly already made his mark and Sundowns could have their issues if they fail to get up to full speed following the international break.

Despite excellent away wins at Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town City, Masandawana haven’t scored in their two home games this season, losing to Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN8 quarterfinals and drawing with new boys TTM. AmaZulu will probably play on the counter-attack, as most teams do away at Sundowns, and have, on paper anyway, more weapons than TTM and Celtic with which to do damage.

Swallows’ chance to fly to the top

Sifiso Hlanti: Pic: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Swallows FC will go top of the DStv Premiership on Saturday night, if they can win at home to TS Galaxy, with the two teams above them, Baroka FC and Mamelodi Sundowns only playing on Sunday.

The rise of the Birds back into the highest level of domestic football is not without controversy, in the sense that the original Moroka Swallows sunk without trace due to financial problems, leaving question marks over whether this is really the same side at all.

Nevertheless, Swallows did brilliantly in the bio-bubble to win the GladAfrica Championship, and their owners have shown they mean serious business with a raft of signings, the latest being Bafana left back Sifiso Hlanti.

Swallows are unbeaten to start the season, though so are TS Galaxy, and this should be a fascinating battle between the two top flight newbies. Galaxy, of course, bought the Highlands Park franchise to be here, showing in South African football, there is more than one way to gain promotion!

At least one of the bottom two will get their first points

Dylan Kerr. Pic: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images

Black Leopards and Maritzburg United meet on Saturday in the DStv Premiership, with both sides slipping to three straight defeats in their first three games of the season.

Leopards only just about survived relegation last season, so a poor start this time around was not that surprising, and the club have already parted ways with another coach, Patrick Aussems the first to go in the 2020/21 season. Dylan Kerr has returned to Lidoda Duvha, fresh from his own dismissal at Baroka FC and will hope to turn their fortunes around.

Maritzburg’s poor start is more surprising, with four defeats in a row in all competitions, and while Eric Tinkler must still have some credit from an excellent 2019/20 campaign, he needs to get them going this season sooner rather than later.

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