Leading Melbourne City players have called on their fans to bring the noise in Saturday night’s Melbourne Derby as they look to inflict another defeat on their fierce rivals.
City got the better of Melbourne Victory back in round 2, with Bruce Kamau’s second half goal handing Warren Joyce’s men a 2-1 win.
And City’s campaign has fared marginally better than the Big V since, currently sitting third on 19 points, six ahead of the fifth-placed Victory.
But City head into this clash on the back of a 3-1 loss to Sydney FC last time out and are desperate to bounce back in this pre-Christmas cracker.
“It was a disappointing result [against the Sky Blues] on the weekend, but I thought we played well and we probably created enough chances to win the game,” City midfielder Osama Malik said.
“This week, we’re going in confidently and we think we can do the job. [The feeling in the camp] is good. It’s always a big game, the derby.
“I’ve played in these games where they’ve been sold out, I guess that’s the aim.
“Hopefully we can get a full house there and we need their support this week to get us over the line.
Malik has formed a formidable midfield partnership with Luke Brattan and the pair are set for a torrid tussle with Victory pair Carl Valeri and Matthias Sanchez at AAMI Park.
Brattan has been one of City’s best all season and believes the team are beginning to hit their straps just in time for the clash with Victory.
“Training’s been tough. We work so hard every day on the training field, and it’s paying off,” Brattan said.
“It’s a massive game and we’re going to need every single person in the crowd to help us along the way, to be our twelfth man.
“They [the fans] help us a lot on the night and we hear the fans get behind us when they do, and we’re going to try our hardest to give them something to be happy about over Christmas.”
