Much like Melbourne Victory, Besart Berisha is yet to inflict his very best on the Hyundai A-League this season.
Whether a by-product of his side’s inconsistency or the cause of it, the bare facts are that Berisha is on course for his least prolific campaign in Australian football.
But there’s no greater competitor than the fiery Kosovo striker, and he’ll be itching to prove a few people wrong in Friday night’s blockbuster Melbourne Derby.
Is the talismanic attacker set to announce he’s far from finished?
FEAR FACTOR
Despite a few off-colour performances, every defence in the competition would prefer to face Victory without Berisha.
None more so than Melbourne City.
The 32-year-old has scored 13 goals in 19 appearances against the ‘other’ Melbourne club.
Three of those came on his Melbourne Derby debut in October 2014 and six more have followed.
To their credit, City have kept him scoreless in the two meetings this term and his battle with Michael Jakobsen and Bart Schenkeveld will be key to the contest.
Just don’t go antagonising him. It doesn’t work.
FINDING FORM
Already written off in some quarters, Berisha and Victory both proved last week they are ready to fight for their seasons.
The marquee man netted the final goal in a vital 3-0 win over Adelaide United.
It was a coolly-taken, unhurried finish that capped off a positive all-round performance.
The strike made it two in a week following a successful penalty in the AFC Champions League defeat at Shanghai SIPG.
Fewer than 12 months on from his equalling his most productive Hyundai A-League campaign, there’s a reason Berisha still has the backing of coach Kevin Muscat.
BIG STAGE STAR
Billed as The Decider, this Melbourne Derby will determine which club finishes the regular season with local bragging rights.
And the pair, locked at one win apiece for the 2017/18 Season, both have broader goals for the remaining matches ahead.
Victory want to catch their rivals while City haven’t given up hope of breaching the top two.
Who better to take charge in such a decisive contest than a player that has scored in all four of his Grand Finals?
