NPFL Preview: Remo Stars seeking to go 12 points clear at the top, Rangers storm Kano for revenge!

League leaders, Remo Stars will look to extend their lead at the top of the NPFL to 12 points when they host Plateau United in Ikenne on Sunday.

The Kunle Soname boys suffered a 1-0 defeat to Salisu Yusuf’s Nasarawa United in their last game which ensured their 10 point-lead at the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, table was reduced to nine points following the one point gained by second placed Shooting Stars of Ibadan in their 1-1 draw at the Enyimba international stadium against Enyimba in Aba.

Remo Stars will be banking on their near impeccable home record to extend their lead at the top of the log to 12 points, at least for the next 24 hours when second placed Shooting Stars and third placed Rivers United will be in action.

The League leaders will be aiming for their eighth home win in a row and 17th win in 27 appearances so far in the competition, the most by any team so far this season (2024/25).

They face a Plateau United side who have not won in 13 away matches this campaign but have drawn two of their last five games on the road.

In Minna, Enyimba of Aba face an uphill task of securing their third away win of the season when they face their host, Niger Tornadoes.

The Peoples Elephant have been very ordinary this season and know they need to be extra super to escape with a point against a team that has only lost twice in Minna this season and defeated Enyimba’s oriental brothers, Heartland 2-1 in their last home game.

In Kano, Enugu Rangers will be keen to extract their pound of flesh when they face Ahmed Musa’s Kano Pillars at the Sani Abacha stadium in Kano.

Last October, Musa, the former Super Eagles captain, inspired the Sai Masu Gida to a 4-3 win at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in Enugu.

Musa won two penalties for the visitors in that thriller at the ‘Cathedral’ and capped his performance with a goal and a man-of-the-match performance.

Pillars would be hoping to replicate same display on Sunday to continue their impressive display in recent matches.

They are unbeaten in their last three matches and would hope to extend it to four.

At the Mobolaji Johnson Arena at Onikan in Lagos, Ikorodu City will looking to win their 11th home game of their first season in the NPFL when they host Emmanuel Amunike’s Heartland.

The Oga Boys are seventh in the NPFL table despite their 2-1 defeat to Bendel Insurance at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City last mid-week but they have undoubtedly been one of the best teams in the division this season.

They hosts Heartland who are seriously in danger of being drawn in the relegation dogfight should they lose this game. They are three points above the drop zone and should the likes of Plateau United, Bayelsa United and Nasarawa United win, Emmanuel Amuneke could yet be under immense pressure.

In Yenagoa, a resurgent Bendel Insurance would target their first away win since November 2024 when they take on their host, Bayelsa United at the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium.

Their last win on the road was in Akure against Sunshine Stars on matchday 10 when they won 2-1. Since then, the Benin Arsenal have gone eight away matches without win despite a managerial change.

They face a Bayelsa United side who are once again staring relegation in the face.

At the Umuahia Township stadium, former Super Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf would want to make it two wins on the bounce for the first time this season for the Solid Miners who are fighting to stay in the Nigerian topflight league this season.

The Solid Miners are looking for their first away win in 11 matches but take on an Abia Warriors team that has won their last seven home games and have not lost in Umuahia since last November when they were beaten 2-1 by Heartland of Owerri.

Nasarawa United’s only away win of the season so far was the 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos last September on matchday 4.