Coach Gregorio Manzano wants his players to keep their feet on the ground despite a rousing start to the season.

Mallorca go into the sixth round of fixtures lying in fourth place after beating Xerez, Tenerife and Real Valladolid at home and picking up a point from their trip to Villarreal.

The only setback so far has been at in-form Sevilla, where they lost 2-0, but they could actually climb above the Andalusian side into third place if results go their way this weekend. Sevilla host leaders Real Madrid while Mallorca go to 14th-placed Sporting Gijon.

Manzano, however, is not getting carried away with their good start to the season, especially as last year they picked up eight points from their opening five matches only to then win just once in their next 14 games to drop down into the relegation zone.

"If we go to Gijon relaxed or without the tension that at times Mallorca have needed due to lack of points, things will go badly for us," he said.

"We have to do our jobs with humility because we still haven't done anything.

"We are going very well but the moment you lower your guard and don't play with intensity and defensive concentration anyone can beat you. So we cannot start sticking our chests out after five weeks of the season."

Manzano celebrates his 200th game in charge of the Balearic Island club this weekend.

The vastly experienced coach, who is in his second spell at Mallorca having coached them for one season in 2002-03 before taking over at Atletico Madrid for a campaign and then returning to the islanders in 2004, said: "It's nice to reach that mark. It means we are achieving goals. It was unthinkable in my first year, when I started against Valencia.

"We've had happiness and sadness during that time, but fortunately it's been more of the first," added Manzano, who has three top-10 finishes in his six seasons, while in 2006 he helped Mallorca finish in 13th despite taking over when they were 20th with 15 games to go.

The former Racing Santander and Real Valladolid boss also guided Mallorca to Copa del Rey glory in 2003.

Sporting go into tomorrow's match having so far beaten Almeria, drawn with Valencia and Real Zaragoza and lost to Barcelona and Osasuna, who they were beaten by 1-0 last weekend.

Looking ahead to the visit of Mallorca, Sporting defender Gregory Arnolin said: "They are high in the table and very strong, but we have to back ourselves here at El Molinon.

"We have to show the best of ourselves, we have to lift our heads, even though the match against Osasuna was a strange one. If we see the real Sporting we will win, I'm sure."

Sporting coach Manuel Preciado has Carmelo Gonzalez and Sergio Matabuena available again, but Tati Maldonado, Diego Camacho, Ivan Cuellar and Luis Moran are all set to miss out.