SuperSport United captain Thulani Hlatshwayo has warned Kaizer Chiefs not to expect an easy outing in their Betway Premiership fixture like it was in the cup, adding they won’t allow to lose to them twice in a row.

SuperSport will pay their first visit to Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday (17:30), in what promises to be a cracking encounter.  

However, the Pretoria side has suffered a run of poor results in both league and Cup competitions since the beginning of the season. 

Last weekend, Gavin Hunt’s troops we sent packing from the Carling Knockout Cup, receiving a 4-0 battering from Chiefs. 

Still sore from the weekend’s wounds, United swiftly moved on to a weekday league fixture against another Soweto Giants in Orlando Pirates. The Buccaneers also took their fair share of a wounded SuperSport, clinching a 2-0 victory at Orlando Stadium. 

Despite his absence in one of the two losses, the former Pirates defender reflected on the disappointing run attributing the failure to the team’s lack of squad depth. 

“With the results we have had, it has not been so smooth sailing, playing both big teams in a space of a week. Sometimes as players we do want to play those games but you know, to win those games is a different situation, but obviously, with the squad that we gave, we don’t have a big squad, we don’t have depth,” explained Hlatshwayo. 

The three-time league champions prepare to meet Chiefs for the second time in seven days. The two South African giants lock horns on Saturday, this time in the Betway Premiership. 

Already struggling in the league, sitting a position 13 with four points off a possible 15, the skipper bets on togetherness within the team to help them overturn what has been a difficult run so far in the league. 

“You know we played them in the Carling, and we know what happened there at Polokwane. For us, this is a time where we need to be together as a team, as the players to make sure that we move together and stay strong,” asserted the 34-year-old. 

Concerning the team’s game plan, going up against a team that is high in confidence having already beaten them with a high score, the SuperSport defender alludes to the conversation of goal-scoring chances as the key takeaway from the previous game. 

“For us, it’s to make sure that we do not repeat what has happened. It’s going to be an interesting game because, of course, yes we lost four but they know that had we taken our chances that we created, we would have a different game,” said the former Bidvest Wits player. 

In issuing a warning to Chiefs, the United captain hinted at a potential change in personnel.

“To be an interesting game for sure, without a doubt, with different personnel obviously on the field of play, and I wouldn’t say revenge but no team would like to lose to a team twice in a row,” warned Hlatshwayo.