Irrepressible Ahly will be looking to edge closer to a club record when they face nearest challengers Arab Contractors in a top-of-the-table clash in the Egyptian Premier League on Sunday. The Red Devils, who are firm favourites to win a fifth straight league title, made one of their best starts ever to a season, winning their first 11 games with a swagger. The netted a staggering 33 goals in the process, conceding just twice. Ahly are the team to beat and should they overcome Contractors, they will be just five wins short of the record they set in the 2004/2005 season when they won their opening 17 matches under iconic Portuguese coach Manuel Jose. But they are likely to face their toughest test yet this term against an in-form Contractors side that are managed by former Ahly defender Emad El-Nahhas. Contractors made an impressive start, collecting 29 points from their opening 13 matches to sit four points behind Ahly, although the latter still have two matches in hand. Ahly's firepower upfront was further boosted by the arrival of Egypt winger Mahmoud Kahraba, who opened his account with a late double salvo in the team's 5-0 drubbing of Tanta in their previous match. The Cairo giants also welcome back key attacking midfielder Walid Soliman after he recovered from injury. Out-of-favour Moroccan striker Walid Azaro, who is likely to be offloaded in January, was left out of Ahly's squad. Senegalese frontman Aliou Badji, who joined from Rapid Vienna last week, has not been registered yet in Ahly's squad. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
