Elsewhere, bottom-placed Blacktown City Demons will have their work cut-out against a red-hot Penrith-Nepean United. The Demons and Penrith kick-off Round 6 on Saturday evening at Penrith’s CUA Stadium, with Abbas Saad’s side playing good football – especially at home.

The Demons have failed to ignite thus far, and the promising signs following Leo Carle’s ‘screamer’ of a goal in Round 1 have also faded by the wayside.

Ken Schembri’s side produced a stronger performance against Sydney Olympic last weekend, though will need to avoid the second-half lapse in concentration that cost the side against the Blues.

League leader Sutherland Sharks will be without Nick Stavroulakis following his dismissal last weekend against Sydney United, and the supporters will be sweating on Brad Boardman’s fitness after the striker picked up a rib injury during the Sydney United clash for their match-up with Macarthur Rams.

Paul Carter’s men have also failed to get their campaign rolling with inconsistent performances to-date. The Rams nearly snatched a point at Jensen Park against Bankstown City last weekend, though were pipped by Robbie Mileski’s brilliant effort two-minutes from time.

Carter will rely on the good form of Sam Mort and attacking exploits of both Hugo Coronel and Renato Jelen.

On Sunday afternoon, Sydney Olympic meet ‘great’ rival Bankstown City at Belmore Sports Ground in arguably the match of the round.

Sydney Olympic’s slip-up in Round 1 of the season has been totally forgotten and the Blues have slowly played their way back into the impressive form that clinched Milan Blagojevic’s men the Johnny Warren Cup trophy in pre-season.

Bankstown City finally secured their first three-points last weekend, and were also able to field exciting playmaker Robert Mileski from the start after injury hampered his involvement in recent weeks.

With injuries and suspensions clouding the Tsekenis & Papoythis coaching set-up, Bankstown’s win against Macarthur could certainly be the tonic required for the team from Jensen Park to return to top-form.

In-form Manly United will face West Sydney Berries with the ‘new boys’ facing a mountain of a task at Cromer Park.

Manly United has been in devastating form, culminating the 13’ minute period where Robbie Cattanach & Co. ran riot against Wollongong FC in Round 5.

The Berries have been the surprise package thus far, though recent suspensions to John Tsironis and Scott Thomas have not helped Ramsin Shamon and Scott Baillie’s cause.

The Berries will have their work cut-out, although the team has played exceptional football this season when under pressure – namely against Sydney Olympic and Sydney United, despite losing out against the latter.

The big ‘Italian Derby’ between two of Australian Football’s ‘glamour’ clubs A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers and Marconi Stallions will carry huge significance as usual, though both sides are facing difficult times in the bottom-half of the League ladder.

John Romeo’s A.P.I.A. has played its way into form with the return to fitness of important players such as Franco Parisi, Robert Younis and Marton Vass, though the team will hope to avoid a slip-up against their big rivals this weekend – considering the Stallions inability to get their season up-and-running.

David Barrett has yet to benefit from the acquisitions of Tolgay Ozbey and Tallan Martin in attack this season, though the impressive showings from Stefan Donevski and Chris Nunes do hold Stallions supporters’ hopes high for a change in fortune.

At Sydney United Sports Centre, the previously undefeated Sydney United will be hoping to bounce back after the loss against Sutherland Sharks cost the Reds second-spot last week.

Recent performances by Sydney United have left the coaching staff disappointed with lapses in concentration, though no better remedy than a return to victory this weekend will suffice United supporters.

John Turner’s Wollongong FC too will be after redemption following the heavy loss against Manly United at home last weekend, setting up an intriguing clash between two sides that do not hesitate to attack.