Eric Gerets hopes Al Ahli can help his Al Jazira side claw back some ground in the title race by beating Al Ain tonight. The Belgian and his squad believe the championship race is still very much alive and is praying that the “enemy” lose points in the remaining six games of the season.

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Gerets, whose side host Ittihad Kalba tomorrow, have won their last two after previously losing back to back in the AGL and now trail by four points in the title race.

The Jazira boss said: “They [Al Ain] know if they win, let’s say four of their last six games, normally they are champions. I think this loss in the Super Cup will give them extra motivation to not lose again against Ahli twice.

“For us it’s important to believe that we can win our game against Kalba and that maybe Ahli can help us. If we don’t believe it is possible it’s better not to play the games. We play the games hoping that we will win our games and we know anyway that the enemy has to lose points.”

Mirko Vucinic and Jonathan Pitropia were the only Jazira players on international duty and Gerets said the league’s leading goal scorer will play despite returning from Montenegro with a knock.

Gerets said of his 23-goal striker: “We had the slight problem Tuesday of no training for Mirko who got a kick on his knee, on the spot where he already had a little problem two weeks ago, but everything is okay.”