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Preview: Maritzburg v AmaZulu

Cape Town - Maritzburg United defender David Booysen has finished serving a suspension, but has been ruled out of the KwaZulu-Natal Derby against AmaZulu at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday due to injury.

READ: KZN derby to be a boiler.

Sibusiso Kumalo (knee) is also still out, but is expected to finally return to action in the New Year. Deolin Mekoa and Mohau Mokate are fit too and pushing coach Steve Komphela for selection.

The Team of Choice are flying high in fifth position on the Premiership able, while their opponents Usuthu remain rooted to the bottom.

However, Komphela insists there is everything to play for in the derby, which has an even split of results over the last 10 games - three wins apiece and four draws.

"There's no favours in football, when you go into a game it's war," the United coach said. "There's no sentiments and there'll be none on Friday. Fortunately we are not guaranteed safety anyway, so there is enough hunger to win."

AmaZulu, meanwhile, have only one injury absentee, defender Marc van Heerden, with the rest of the squad all available.

New coach Steve Barker won his first game in charge, but lost to Mpumalanga Black Aces at the weekend, leaving his side with just seven points from 13 games, seven adrift of the closest teams above them.

"Derbies are always tough, but we need to focus on our own improvement," he said. "We have big week ahead with three games and we need to pick up at least six points in this pre-Christmas period."
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