Dubai: Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu has warned The Red Knights not to take smaller sides lightly ahead of their fourth round Arabian Gulf League game at home to Ajman on Monday.

The defending champions were forced to salvage two last minute 2-1 wins over The Orange Brigade last season, but the Romanian is hoping for a bit more composure against the minnows this term.

Al Ahli have yet to win at home this season after recording respective 1-0 and 5-1 wins away to Sharjah and Al Wasl, either side of a 4-2 defeat at home to Al Shabab. If they are to retain their title this season, the current fourth-placed side will have to quickly and confidently make Rashid Stadium their own.

“We know by experience that it’s the games against smaller sides that bring you the trophies,” said Olaroiu. “That’s why we have to concentrate against Ajman.

“It won’t be easy because they’ve had two more rest days than us and with this weather it’s harder for players to recover. Last year we had to rely on two last minute winners over Ajman, so we don’t expect it to be easy, but we hope to improve game-by-game.”

Olaroiu added that 12th-placed Ajman would be particularly riled from their last defeat – a 4-0 loss at home to Al Ain – which followed a 3-2 opening defeat at home to Al Jazira and a 1-1 draw away to Al Dhafra.

“They’ve done well considering the fact they’ve had to play Al Jazira, Al Ain and Al Ahli in the first four games of the season,” he added.

“The results may not look good but they haven’t played too bad.”

League leaders Al Wahda will be looking to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season at home to eighth-placed Sharjah on Tuesday. The Maroons opened with a 5-0 win at home to Kalba and two 2-1 wins away to Emirates and Bani Yas.

Sharjah have lost 1-0 at home to Al Ahli and 3-0 away to Al Nasr before a 4-2 win at home to Kalba, and will be looking to build upon that resurgent win in Abu Dhabi.

Second-placed Al Jazira travel to seventh-placed Al Dhafra on Monday knowing that if Al Wahda slip up against Sharjah, they can take first position with a win.

Al Ain’s second round Asian Champions League semi-final involvement at home to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Tuesday means their Monday league fixture at home to Fujairah has been postponed. Both Al Ahli and Al Shabab – who travel to bottom side Kalba on Tuesday – will be looking to take advantage of Al Ain’s absence in order to move into the top three.

Outside of the running, Al Wasl will be looking to get out of the relegation zone with a win away to Al Nasr on Tuesday, but sixth-placed Al Nasr will be just as pre-occupied with breaking into the top five.

Meanwhile, ninth-placed Emirates host tenth-placed Bani Yas on Tuesday, in the last of the fourth round fixtures.