Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Sandile 'AK-47' Ndlovu says the club is no longer the same without Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Khuliso Mudau.
Sundowns dropped two points in their league opener against Chippa United on Saturday, with the duo noticeable absentees in the match that finished with a 1-1 scoreline.
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The Betway Premiership defending champions host another unpredictable side in AmaZulu FC at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight.
"Usuthu is on fire and they have these young boys from their DDC team, but then again Sundowns is Sundowns," Ndlovu tells KickOff.
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"Another thing we need to understand is that the other PSL teams have raised their game now. But because Sundowns still have the majority of their players, I believe they will bounce back.
"The absence of Ribeiro and Mudau has hit Sundowns very hard. Their gap is visible. Ribeiro is the type of player who just creates something out of nothing. He can steal a game for you right at the end.
"In most cases, if the senior players and the management do not see eye to eye, it invites confusion to the rest of the squad. It affects the players psychologically. There is a strong bond between players who have been teammates for some time."
The clash gets underway at 19:30.
