Matchday Saturday Preview: A-League

There’ll be silverware on the line when Melbourne City host Central Coast Mariners in the second game of a massive Matchday Saturday on May 22.

City have the chance to seal a club-first A-League trophy when the Premiers Plate goes on offer at AAMI Park. The league-leaders can go 11 points clear of second-placed Sydney FC with three games to play by overcoming the Mariners on home soil.

These two sides met in City’s first A-League game in 2010 at the same venue where the club – formerly known as Melbourne Heart – can lift silverware for the very first time. The home side are without Andrew Nabbout for the second game in a row – he’s sidelined with an adductor injury. The Mariners, meanwhile, welcome Daniel De Silva back to the fray, who missed his side’s last two fixtures with a toe injury.

If selected in Alen Stajcic’s side, Mariners midfielder Oliver Bozanic will play his 150th A-League game, after making his debut in the aforementioned Mariners clash against Melbourne Heart in August, 2010.

But before the action begins at AAMI Park, Wellington Phoenix will play host to Western United at Sky Stadium in the first game of the 2020/21 campaign on New Zealand soil.

There’s tremendous hype surrounding Wellington’s homecoming fixture which pits two rival clubs against each other. The Phoenix are expecting a bumper crowd in the house after waiting 433 days to see their side play at Sky Stadium Wellington.

The two sides placed ninth (Phoenix) and tenth (United) are locked on 28 points apiece. A win would provide either team an enormous boost as both sides look to sneak into the top six by the end of the season.

MORE: Ben Waine named April nominee for Young Footballer of the Year
READ: Phoenix touch down in Wellington looking to charge toward Finals Series

Match details

Wellington Phoenix v Western United
Saturday, May 22 2021
Venue: Sky Stadium
Kick-off: 2.05pm AEST
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505, ABC TV
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
Match Centre

Team news

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 2.Liam McGING, 5.James MCGARRY, 6.Tim PAYNE, 7.Reno PISCOPO, 8.Cameron DEVLIN, 9.David BALL, 11.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 12.Matthew RIDENTON, 13.Charles LOKOLI-NGOY, 14.Alex RUFER, 15.Mirza MURATOVIC, 16.Louis FENTON, 17.Tomer HEMED, 18.Ben WAINE, 19.Sam SUTTON, 20.Oliver SAIL, 21.Joshua LAWS, 23.Clayton LEWIS, 27.Steven TAYLOR
**1-3 to be omitted**

Ins: 12.Matthew RIDENTON (promoted), 27.Steven TAYLOR (return from illness)

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 3.Luke DEVERE (knee injury, 3 weeks), 10.Ulises DAVILA (injury, 1 week)

Western United FC squad: 1.Filip KURTO (gk), 3.Brendan HAMILL 4.Andrew DURANTE, 5.Dylan PIERIAS, 6.Tomoki IMAI, 7.Besart BERISHA, 8.Lachlan WALES, 9.Kaine SHEPPARD, 10.Steven LUSTICA, 11.Connor PAIN, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 21.Sebastian PASQUALI, 22.Tomislav USKOK, 23.Alessandro DIAMANTI (c), 25.Luke DUZEL, 26.Nicolas MILANOVIC 27.Jerry SKOTADIS, 30.Ryan SCOTT (gk), 31.Adisu BAYEW, 34.Iker GUARROTXENA

**2-4 to be omitted**

In: 9.Kaine SHEPPARD (promoted), 26.Nicolas MILANOVIC (promoted), 27.Jerry SKOTADIS (promoted), 31.Adisu BAYEW (promoted)

Out: 17.Bradden INMAN (hamstring), 20.Victor SANCHEZ (suspended)

Unavailable: Aaron CALVER (adductor), Bradden INMAN (hamstring), Dalibor MARKOVIC (ankle), Joshua RISDON (foot)

THE GLOBAL GAME: Brosque warns City of challenges ahead in Premiership/Championship pursuit
HOW TO WATCH: A-League Matchweek 22

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6249812320001

How to follow the action

Match Centre: Live updates, videos and statistics

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Ways to watch

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Tipping

Match details

Melbourne City v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday, May 22 2021
Venue: AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7.10pm AEST
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
Match Centre

Team news

Melbourne City FC squad

Melbourne City squad: 1.Tom GLOVER (gk), 2.Scott GALLOWAY, 3.Scott JAMIESON (c), 4.Nuno REIS, 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 7.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 8.Aiden O’NEILL, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 10.Florin BERENGUER-BOHRER, 11.Craig NOONE, 14.Naoki TSUBAKI, 16.Taras GOMULKA, 17.Stefan COLAKOVSKI, 18.Connor METCALFE, 19.Ben GARUCCIO, 20.Adrian LUNA, 22.Curtis GOOD, 23.Marco TILIO, 33.Matthew SUTTON (gk), 36.Kerrin STOKES.

In: 16.Taras GOMULKA (promoted), 36.Kerrin STOKES (promoted).

Out: Nil.

Unavailable: 13.Nathaniel ATKINSON (hamstring), 15.Andrew NABBOUT (adductor).

Central Coast Mariners squad: 1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 3.Lewis MILLER, 4.Joshua NISBET, 5.Stefan NIGRO, 6.Gianni STENSNESS, 8.Oliver BOZANIC (c), 10.Daniel DESVILA, 11.Jack CLISBY, 12.Marco UREÑA,14.Daniel BOUMAN, 15.Kye ROWLES, 19.Matt SIMON, 20.Adam PEARCE (gk), 21.Ruon TONGYIK, 22.Michal JANOTA, 23.Dan HALL, 25.Matthew HATCH, 26.Jaden CASELLA, 29.Alou KUOL, 30.Jordan SMYLIE

Ins: 10.Daniel DE SILVA (Return from Injury), 23.Dan HALL (Promoted)

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: Nil

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6242606355001