Al Ahli are showing signs of recovery after a difficult start to the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, but the injury crisis surrounding the squad remains the defining concern at the club right now. The 3-2 victory over Al-Fayha on Monday was their latest win in a run of positive results since the international break, lifting them to fifth in the table with 18 points from nine games. The result mattered, but it came at a cost, with a fresh injury adding to an already stretched squad.

The absence of Ivan Toni looms largest. The Englishman leads the league's scoring charts with 11 goals, and his fitness situation has become a central subplot to Al Ahli's season. Losing a player of that output at any point in a title race is damaging. Coach Marino Busitsch is managing a squad that has been disrupted repeatedly by physical setbacks, and the pressure to find solutions from within is growing.

Artem Bondarenko stepped up against Al-Fayha, scoring twice in a performance that gave Busitsch genuine cause for optimism. Firas Al-Buraikan also got on the scoresheet, and Francisco Trincao continues to contribute, sitting joint-fifth in the scoring charts with five goals. The squad has depth, but it needs to stay healthy.

Al Ahli host Al Khaleej on Thursday at King Abdullah Sports City. Three more points would consolidate their position and keep the pressure on the teams above them.