FC Tokyo – MF Otake is a long term absentee, FW Hirayama should still be considered doubtful.

Urawa Reds – DF Hamada is with Japan U23 team. DF Spiranovic is with Australia. MF Naoki Yamada expected to be out for the season.

13 wins for Urawa, just two for Tokyo, and three draws, in 18 meetings over the last decade.

FC Tokyo (P11 W7 D0 L4 GD +2) will be buoyed by the national team squad selection of Tokunaga, Hasegawa and Takahashi (who made his debut as a substitute) for the Wednesday match against Azerbaijan and will want to beat their close rivals to keep in touch with the title-chasing pack, so expect a hard fought battle in Tokyo this weekend. The teams are level on points but FC Tokyo have a game in hand due to ACL commitments so a win here would prove that they should be considered genuine championship contenders, while Urawa Reds (P12 W6 D3 L3 GD +4) will be claiming the same with a win.

Reds should have enough cover to make up for the absence of Hamada while Tokyo are also well covered in positions affected by absence. Reds have won just one of their last four games, while Tokyo are on a run of three wins-in-a-row. This could come down to confidence and that would swing it the way of FC Tokyo but I am going to EXPECT a DRAW?

Vissel Kobe – FW Okubo claims to be back from injury but will struggle to play a full game. DF Iwanami is away on U19 duty and also reported to be signing with PSV Eindhoven – he may not even get to make his debut for Vissel Kobe. New coach Akira Nishino will be at the club for this match.

Kashima Antlers will be missing FW Osako and MF Yamamura to U23 duty in France.

Nine wins for Kashima, just three for Kobe and five draws over the last decade in 17 meetings, with Vissel wins coming in 2003, 2004 and 2009.

Vissel Kobe (P12 W5 D0 L7 GD -4) welcome new coach Akira Nishino on the back of two losses (three including a Nabisco Cup defeat at home to S-Pulse), after interim coach Adachi won a couple to get the team’s spirits up. Nichino is known to be a man who builds a team, makes sweeping changes over a season of rebuilding, with a view to the future. But Vissel owner Mikitani wants success this season – will that be too much to ask? Nishino’s first line-up will be interesting to see. Plenty of youngsters to build a team around, with some solid experience to help settle in.

Kashima Antlers (P12 W4 D2 L6 GD +2) had a bad start, stuck with their coaching team, turned the corner, lost a few more games, and then thrashed Consadole last week 7-0 (with seven different goalscorers). They’ll be confident, but missing Osako, although Dutra and Juninho will be hoping to prove they are worthy of a place so will be giving their all. It might not be enough and I EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE!

Jubilo Iwata – DF Cho is with the Korean national team, MF Yamamoto is with the Japan U23 team, GK Kawaguchi out for the season, probably.

Omiya Ardija – DFs Tsubouchi and Murakami are confirmed injured. MF Higashi is on U23 duty in France.

Jubilo Iwata (P12 W6 D3 L3 GD +9) will miss Cho and Yamamoto big time, but if Baek is on form, and Maeda is back from Japan duty ready and willing, Jubilo will be firing on most cylinders! Baek has been the driving force in a team that changed, in my opinion, from also-rans, to having a chance of a top six finish – if Baek, in particular stays fit and continues his form.

Omiya Ardija (P12 W4 D3 L5 GD -7) look like a team resigned to a struggle this season but reports state that they will be happy to survive and a target of 50 points at most is what they’ll be happy with! New signings Cho and Shimohira, and U23 starlet Higashi (missing today) can surely not be happy with a team that publicly lacks ambition like that. It won’t help team confidence, but it may give them something to prove. I think we should EXPECT a DRAW!