Although Ahly have only drawn once in their opening eight games, winning the other seven, their form in recent games has been alarming for their fans.

They were held to a 1-1 draw by a 10-man Future FC side before needing a goal deep in stoppage time to beat Pharco 2-1 in their previous game last Tuesday.

Although Ahly still lead Zamalek by two points, their demanding supporters are worried over the prospect of seeing their side loosen their grip on top spot the same way they surrendered the title the last two seasons.

The Red Devils made fine starts to those seasons but were eventually pipped to the title by perennial Cairo rivals Zamalek on both occasions.

Ahly coach Marcel Koller has been recently criticised for making several changes to his starting line-up every match, with some pundits blaming his tweaks for the stuttering form.

The Swiss said he needs to do that to keep his players fresh amid a hectic run of fixtures. Ahly were also invited to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup in February, which will further overload their schedule that also includes African Champions League commitments.

Ahly received a blow ahead of their game against Smouha after influential right-back Akram Tawfik picked up a serious knee injury that will sideline him for long.

Smouha, who made a poor start to the season, are looking to snap a four-match winless run. They lie 13th in the league table with seven points from eight matches.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

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