Ajax vs United is a battle between two sides coached‚ somewhat unsuccessfully‚ by De Sa

Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo is well aware of how crucial the three points up for grabs on Saturday are when his side travel to Maritzburg United for their Absa Premiership clash on Saturday.

It is a battle between two sides coached‚ somewhat unsuccessfully‚ by Roger de Sa this season‚ though his departure from United during the international break means Fadlu Davids has been handed the reins until the end of the season.

United have an excellent recent record against Ajax and won 2-1 in Cape Town during the early days of Menzo’s tenure in the first half of the season.

A similar result could lift them into the top eight and leave the Urban Warriors in further crisis and still without a win in 2017.

• Pitso Mosimane wants to bring Lebogang Manyama to Mamelodi SundownsPitso Mosimane would like to sign Lebogang Manyama‚ who he described as a “Sundowns player” in the forward’s style of play‚ but indicated he might not be willing to break the bank for the Cape Town City star. 

Menzo knows that controlling the midfield is key‚ but is without the suspended Grant Margeman‚ who has been in fine form for the side this season.

“We have to control the game. We have enough quality in this team to get out of the situation we find ourselves in‚” Menzo said.

“We are going there for all three points as three points can make a big difference to our season.”

In fact‚ victory for Ajax will move them above Maritzburg with just a single point between the sides‚ potentially dropping the KwaZulu-Natal side into the relegation mix.

“All in all‚ though‚ we have to control things‚ we have to set the rhythm. If there are opportunities to take advantage‚ then we have to do so and when we have to be careful‚ then we must take care‚” Menzo said.

• Manyama and Mosimane voted as the PSL's best player and coach respectively in FebruaryCape Town City forward Lebogang Manyama won the Absa Premiership’s player of the month award for February on Wednesday and Pitso Mosimane of Mamelodi Sundowns won coach of the month. 

Menzo believes that in the PSL‚ all results are possible and that teams below them could go on a run of form.

“[Bottom side] Baroka could have beaten Chiefs [in their 2-2 draw on March 18]‚ you just don't know. We have to be sure that we take our points.”

Menzo has indicated that centre-back Rivaldo Coetzee has returned from national team duty with Bafana Bafana in good nick and is available to play.

Maritzburg have won three of their last four matches against Ajax and have a single home defeat to the Urban Warriors over the last decade.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport