For the first time in the 2022-23 A-League season, rivals Sydney FC and Melbourne City will square off Saturday at Allianz Stadium.
City lead the league with 16 points and are the only unbeaten team remaining in this domestic campaign, while the Sky Blues sit sixth in the table on seven points, losing their previous encounter 1-0 to West Sydney Wanderers.
Match preview
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Steve Corica has had several weeks to work on what went wrong for his team in November, with Sydney dropping their only two domestic contests that month.
So far this season, they have yet to win a domestic fixture at home, conceding the opening goal in their last two matches played at Allianz Stadium.
Corica saw his players put together a fine performance at the Sydney Super Cup last month, upsetting the reigning Scottish champions Celtic 2-1 in a highly entertaining friendly played in the Harbour City.
They have conceded 12 goals after six games, the second-most in the A-League in 2022-23, half of which have occurred in the final 45 minutes.
Their seven points accumulated thus far is the fewest for them to this point of a domestic campaign since 2012-13, when they only had two victories after six fixtures.
Sydney are used to having the bulk of the possession in most of their encounters this season, and they like to progress the ball from the back fluently.
That approach is similar to the tactics employed by Austrian manager Ralf Rangnick, and it has enabled Sydney to generate plenty of scoring opportunities, with the Sky Blues failing to find the back of the net just once in this season's competition.
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Following their elimination from the Australian Cup in August, Melbourne City have been on a tear, going unbeaten in their first six matches in the league this season.
This upcoming fixture will be their first league game under the guidance of Rado Vidosic, who has some big shoes to fill, given what his predecessor Patrick Kisnorbo achieved while in charge.
The current manager at Troyes in Ligue 1 helped Melbourne capture two A-League premiership trophies while also winning the Grand Final as coach, 3-1, over Sydney FC in 2021.
Melbourne City have notched multiple goals in every league fixture this season, outscoring their opponents 6-1 in three road matches.
They have conceded a league-low four goals thus far, only one of which was in the opening half, though it came from their skipper Scott Jamieson, who scored into his own net last month when they defeated Newcastle Jets 2-1.
That is the only strike they have conceded away from home in the A-League to this point of the campaign, while they have also scored the most goals domestically so far with 14.
The Cityzens are unbeaten in their last five outings versus Sydney, with their last defeat against them coming in the 2019-20 Grand Final, when Rhyan Grant scored in extra time to help the Sky Blues triumph 1-0.
Team News
Robert Mak and Max Burgess each found the back of the net in that friendly versus Celtic, while Sydney goalkeeper Tom Heward-Belle made several fantastic stops to keep his side in front.
Adam Le Fondre has four goals in his career versus Melbourne City, including the equaliser in a 2-1 win against them at home in 2020.
Le Fondre and Jack Rodwell could be paired together in central defence this weekend, Paulo Retre is eligible to play following his red card suspension and keeper Andrew Redmayne could get the start in goal after backing up Mathew Ryan during the Socceroos' run to the last 16 at the World Cup.
Melbourne's Jamie Maclaren leads the league with eight goals this season, Richard van der Venne notched his first of the campaign in their victory over Newcastle Jets, while Tom Glover has three clean sheets, the second-most in the 2022-23 competition behind Lawrence Thomas of the Western Sydney Wanderers, who has four.
Glover made three stops the last time they faced Sydney FC a season ago, when Matthew Leckie collected a brace, while McClaren and Jordan Bos each found the back of the net in a comfortable 4-0 win.
Aiden O'Neill will miss this match through suspension, Andrew Nabbout and Curtis Good could both be out due to illness and there is a possibility that Nuno Reis will recover in time from his concussion.
Sydney FC possible starting lineup:
Redmayne; Grant, Le Fondre, Rodwell, Caballo; Brattan; Mak, Burgess, Caceres, Lolley; Wood
Melbourne City possible starting lineup:
Glover; Bos, Jamieson, Lam, Talbot; Van der Venne, Gomulka, Berisha; Leckie, Maclaren, Tilio
We say: Sydney FC 0-2 Melbourne City
In the early portion of the campaign, Melbourne City look as determined as ever to return to the Finals series and avenge their defeat in the Grand Final.
Their depth up front and poise along the backline should make life difficult for Sydney, who have allowed far too many quality chances to this point of the campaign.
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