Pedro Emanuel and Al Ain face a possible last stand against leaders Sharjah

The pressure is on for embattled Al Ain coach Pedro Emanuel when his charges visit leaders Sharjah in the Arabian Gulf League.
The depleted Boss were battered 4-1 by resurgent Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club in match-week 15, a result which pushed them down to a distant sixth and intensified debate about the former Porto defender’s future. Hope will abound about a possible, belated, debut for headline winter addition Shoya Nakajima.
Saturday’s opponents witnessed momentum checked last weekend with a 1-1 draw at Al Wahda and will be determined to get back to winning ways now their advantage has been cut to three points.
Fifth-placed Shabab Al Ahli’s cause was boosted in mid-week by the addition of 2016 AFC Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman on a free transfer. But the celebrated 29-year-old is not expected to be fit to continue their seven-match winning run, in all competitions, at seventh-placed Wahda.
The day’s other games contain a basement clash between Hatta and Ajman, plus third-placed Bani Yas travelling to mid-table Khor Fakkan.
A Bur Dubai derby between Al Nasr and Al Wasl leads the way on Sunday, UAE icon Ali Mabkhout is fresh off a hat-trick for the trip to Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finalists Ittihad Kalba and second-bottom Fujairah could escape the relegation zone with victory against an Al Dhafra who’ll be without suspended returning club legend Makhete Diop and goalkeeper Khalid Al Senani.
MATCH-WEEK 16 FIXTURES
Saturday
17:30 Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club v Al Wahda
17:30 Khor Fakkan v Bani Yas
20:15 Hatta v Ajman
20:15 Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
17:30 Ittihad Kalba v Al Jazira
17:30 Fujairah v Al Dhafra
20:15 Al Nasr v Al Wasl