Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix will be desperate to atone for recent 3-0 defeats when the two sides meet in the Hyundai A-League on Friday evening.
The pair share identical form lines, in fact, with City and Phoenix starting the 2018/19 Season with a win, a draw and then a crushing home defeat.
New Phoenix boss Mark Rudan urged his side to “get back to basics” after losing to Western Sydney Wanderers, a match that showed up some frailties in defence that Warren Joyce will try to exploit at AAMI Park.
For City, it’s a test of mental strength in front of a home crowd that will demand better than the past two results.
WATCH FOR FREE: How to watch the Hyundai A-League LIVE and FREE
REMEMBRANCE ROUND: Clubs band together to commemorate Armistice
KEY OPTA STATS
- Phoenix picked up a 2-1 victory in their most recent game against City, snapping a six-game losing streak against the Victorian club.
- City have lost seven of their last nine games played on a Friday (W1, D1), scoring multiple goals in a game only once in that period.
- Wellington have scored seven goals in their last 14 away games, earning just six points in that time (W1, D3).
THEY SAID IT
“We need to bounce back and work hard. There are boys who want to be in the squad and we’ll look at things.” – Warren Joyce
INS AND OUTS
Melbourne City FC squad: 1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 2.Ritchie De LAET, 3.Scott JAMIESON (c) , 4.Harrison DELBRIDGE, 5.Bart SCHENKEVELD, 7.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 8.Riley MCGREE, 10.Dario VIDOSIC, 13.Nathaniel ATKINSON, 15.Kearyn BACCUS, 17.Anthony CACERES, 18.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 19.Lachlan WALES, 23.Bruno FORNAROLI, 25.Iacopo LA ROCCA, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 27.Florin BERENGUER-BOHRER, 34.Connor METCALFE
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 13.Nathaniel ATKINSON (promoted), 34.Connor METCALFE (promoted)
Outs: nil
Unavailable: 6.Osama MALIK (calf), 11.Michael O’HALLORAN (hamstring)
Wellington Phoenix Squad: 1.Filip KURTO (gk), 4.Mandi SOSA, 5.Ryan LOWRY, 6.Dylan FOX, 8.Mitch NICHOLS, 9.Nathan BURNS, 11.David WILLIAMS, 13.Liberato CACACE, 14.Alex RUFER, 15.Michal KOPZCYNSKI, 16.Louis FENTON, 18.Sarpreet SINGH, 19.Tom DOYLE, 20.Oliver SAIL (gk), 21.Roy KRISHNA, 22.Andrew DURANTE (c), 23.Max BURGESS, 27.Steven TAYLOR
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 6.Dylan FOX (promoted) 15.Michal KOPZCYNSKI (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
HOW TO WATCH
Tune in on FOX SPORTS 505 at 7.50pm (AEDT) on Friday night as Round 4 begins or watch through the MyFootball Live App.
TICKETS
Be there for City’s clash with the Phoenix. Secure your seat HERE.