Thursday football preview: Melbourne City v Adelaide United, May 13

Adelaide United will look to move into second spot on the A-League table with a win over league-leading Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Thursday night.

The first game of Matchweek 21 pits City against the travelling Reds locked on 32 points with two other sides. Adelaide can jump Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners into second with a win, which would also end a four-game winless run.

The Reds come into Matchweek 21 after back-to-back 0-0 draws against Western United and Wellington Phoenix. Carl Veart’s side last won away from home on March 21 against the bottom-placed Newcastle Jets.

The Adelaide squad will be bolstered by returning players, with goalkeeper James Delianov and defender Michael Jakobsen both coming back from hamstring injuries, while Mohamed Toure returns from suspension.

City promote Naoki Tsubaki and Taras Gomulka to the squad preparing to host the Reds. With just one loss in its last 14 games, the table-topping side is eager to extend its lead at the top of the table to 11 points with a fourth-consecutive win.

These two sides last met in Matchweek 2, when Tomi Juric and Stefan Mauk scored one apiece in a 2-0 Adelaide win.

Match details

Melbourne City v Adelaide United
Thursday, May 13 2021
Venue: AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEST
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
Match Centre

Team news

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, 15.Andrew NABBOUT, 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).

**2 to be omitted**

In: 14.Naoki TSUBAKI (promoted), 16.Taras GOMULKA (promoted).

Out: Nil.

Unavailable: 13.Nathaniel ATKINSON (hamstring).

Adelaide United squad: 1.James DELIANOV (gk), 2.Michael MARRONE, 3.George TIMOTHEOU, 6.Louis D’ARRIGO, 7.Ryan KITTO, 8.Stefan MAUK (c), 9.Tomi JURIC, 11.Craig GOODWIN, 17.Mohamed TOURE, 18.Joe CALETTI, 22.Michael JAKOBSEN, 23.Jordan ELSEY, 24.Pacifique NIYONGABIRE, 26.Ben HALLORAN, 27.Josh CAVALLO, 28.JUANDE, 29.Kusini YENGI, 34.Yared ABETEW, 35.Al Hassan TOURE, 46.Joe GAUCI (gk)
*2-4 to be omitted*

Ins: 1.James DELIANOV (promoted), 17.Mohamed TOURE (returns from suspension), 22.Michael JAKOBSEN (returns from injury), 24.Pacifique NIYONGABIRE (promoted), 34.Yared ABETEW (promoted)
Outs: 4.Ryan STRAIN (suspended), 33.Dakota OCHSENHAM (gk) (Not Selected), 37.Jonny YULL (Not Selected)
Unavailable: 16.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS (knee), 21.Javi LÓPEZ (knee)