Malaga will be hoping another local derby will help spark their season as they seek to climb out of the relegation zone.

Malaga were one of the success stories of the Primera Division last term, finishing eighth in their first year back after winning promotion and claiming impressive victories over the likes of Sevilla and Villarreal.

The south-coast side have found it difficult to carry that form into this campaign however, and after six games they find themselves in the bottom three having picked up just one point since their impressive 3-0 opening-day win over Atletico Madrid.

That point came against fellow Andalusians Xerez in their last match before the international break though, and coach Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz is keen to see his team build on that result with a much-needed victory over Almeria tomorrow.

"All the games are vital and to achieve the objectives we've set for ourselves we need to be taking three points from matches," said Lopez Muniz, who nevertheless knows it will not be easy against an Almeria side who are two points better off than they are.

"Almeria have strong points like all the teams and we will try to nullify them. They have very fast players and are confident in possession."

Striker Nabil Baha, last season's joint top-scorer for Malaga, looks to have recovered from injury and should be available to Lopez Muniz, but midfielder Fernando is missing.

Almeria coach Hugo Sanchez is viewing tomorrow's derby as a chance to put extra daylight between his team and a Malaga side he feels are one of their main rivals in the fight to avoid relegation this season.

Sanchez said: "We are going to be facing a direct rival and as such we are playing for more than three points.

"We will try to impose our style of play on the game and fight for all three points, but we are the away team, Malaga are a good side and they are playing for a lot; more than we are."

Sanchez's team had taken five points from three games prior to their 1-0 defeat to champions Barcelona at the Nou Camp last time out.

Sanchez said: "We are giving a good impression of ourselves in the matches, but that hasn't translated into the points that we would've liked and that we've deserved.

"We are one of the teams who has conceded the least amount of goals in the division (six), but we've lacked aggression and effectiveness up front.

"We've been working well this week in preparation for the game and we hope that everything goes well for us."

Sanchez is not concerned about the possibility of his side falling into the relegation if they lose at La Rosaleda.

"No, not at all," he said. "The team is well, strong and confident, and as well as that the players have trained with great intensity in a bid to be in the starting XI every week, something I really like and I'm pleased about.

"If it wasn't like that, I'd be worried, but that isn't the case.

The former Mexico coach will be without Fabian Vargas, and Jose Ortiz is doubtful.