[Diomed]

PREMIER LIGA WEEKEND PREVIEW

A hot weekend is expected in Premier Liga as supporters will see two Moscow derbies.

Saturday program will start at 2 p.m. as Spartak Moscow cross their swords with their city rivals Lokomotiv. It will be the third match of two teams this season as they already met in Russia cup semis. After crushing defeat from Lokomotiv the host side will strive to redeem themselves so supporters are right to expect a die-or-do affair from both teams. Vladimir Fedotov doesn’t have a lot of injury headaches as Antonio Geder and Nikita Bazhenov have already shaken off their injuries and are ready to help their teammates. Vladimir Fedotov can’t rely on injured Torbinsky, Stranzl who is ill and Artem Dzyuba who left for Russia U-19 team. Lokomotiv are without injured Korchagin, Loskov and Traore.

The lowest ranking Rostov host FC Khimki in a must-win affair. The home side will do their best as only the win could help them leave the relegation zone while three points for Khimki can put them several position higher. Vinogradov is injured for Rostov while the visitors are without injured Antipenko and Drozdov.

Saturn entertain Spartak Nalchik as they wish to make some steps further the standings. The teams stand the twelfth and the tenth positions respectively with nine points in nine games. Saturn are weakened by injuries of Rolandas Džiaukštas, Peter Petráš, Martin Jakubko and Sergei Yashin, Igor Lebedenko won’t be able to help the team through suspension while Artem Pershin is out for Russia U-19 team. Rustam Balov is injured and Martynov is ill for Spartak.

The weekend ends at 8 p.m. in Krasnodar where Kuban take on Luch-Energiya. Only one point divide the teams in the standings so the victory could take the team several positions high. The visitora have no injury headaches while Ricardu will be the only absentee for Kuban.

Sunday program starts in Saint Petersburg where Zenit host Rubin. Zenit are tipped as one of the campaign favorites and they justify this status holding the third place in the table with three points behind the leaders. Dutch specialist Dick Advocaat can’t rely on suspended Malafeev and injured Fatih Tekke while the visitors will do without Fabio Felicio through suspension, Bukharov and Calisto are injured and Vasilyev is ill.

The title holders CSKA Moscow will fly to Perm to face Amkar. Moscow team need to prove their pretensions for the trophy so Amkar are to be easy meat for the champions. It wouldn’t be difficult to grab three points so CSKA supporters will wait for the win only.Amkar won’t count on services of injured Milovanovic while Valery Gazzaev’s team are without suspended Berezutsky and injured first-choice goalie Igor Akinfeev and Carvalho.

Krylya Sovetov have a chance to put an end to their unsuccessful away matches run as they play Tom in Tomsk. suspended Mostovoy and injured Lebedkov won’t help Krylya Sovetov while Tom are without Gusin.

In the last game of weekend Dinamo host FC Moskva in Moscow derby. The teams are neighbors in the standings with only one points between them. After inspiring start of the season Moskva began to lose points which could tell on psychological state of players so the win will serve as a major boost for them. Pimenov, Skepsky and Tochilin won’t be able to help Dinamo through injuries while Barrientos is suspended and Meleshin and Okoronkvo are injured for Moskva.