Reigning A-League Premiers and Champions, Central Coast Mariners, will host Melbourne City at Central Coast Stadium on Monday, aiming to bring an end to their three-match winless streak.
The Mariners have enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture in recent years, emerging victorious in three of the last five meetings, with the remaining two encounters ending in draws.
Match preview
Central Coast Mariners enjoyed a spectacular 2023-24 season, finishing top of the table in the regular season with 55 points, two clear of Wellington Phoenix, to claim the Premiers' Plate, while they capped off their success by defeating Melbourne Victory in the Grand Final via penalties to secure the Championship title.
However, the Mariners' start to the 2024-25 campaign has fallen short of last season's heights, recording just two wins from their opening nine league matches, coupled with four draws and three defeats, telling the story of a disappointing campaign so far.
Mark Jackson's side have already endured two separate winless runs this season – the first came in their opening four league matches, yielding three draws and one defeat, while the second occurred more recently, consisting of two losses and a draw, interrupted only by their two solitary victories thus far.
Having amassed just 10 points from nine matches, the Mariners find themselves 12 points adrift of the league summit with a third of the regular season already played – however, they are only four points shy of the final playoff spot, leaving room for optimism.
Up next for the Mariners is a home clash against Melbourne City, a side they have defeated in their last two meetings at Central Coast Stadium, both by a 2-1 scoreline.
However, Jackson will need to address his team's defensive vulnerabilities at home, where they have conceded an average of two goals per game and scored just three times in their last 12 matches on this ground.
The manager has called for greater preparation and a better attitude from his players, following a humbling 4-1 home loss to league leaders Auckland FC last Saturday.
Melbourne City, winners of the 2022-23 A-League Men Premiership, endured a disappointing 2023-24 season, finishing 16 points behind the Mariners and failing to progress beyond the elimination finals, where they lost to rivals Melbourne Victory on penalties.
This season, the Hearts sit eight points off the top of the table, making another Premiership title increasingly unlikely – nevertheless, their Championship aspirations remain alive, with 14 points from eight matches placing them in the final playoff spot, albeit only ahead of seventh-placed Western Sydney Wanderers on goal difference.
Melbourne City are currently on a three-match unbeaten streak, comprising a win and two draws – their most recent outing was a 1-1 stalemate against city rivals Melbourne Victory, and they will be confident of extending this run against a struggling Mariners side.
Under the guidance of Aurelio Vidmar, Melbourne City have excelled away from home, collecting 13 points on the road—more than any other team in the A-League.
They are one of four sides yet to lose an away fixture this season, boasting the league's best defensive record on the road, having conceded just two goals in opposition territory.
Team News
Central Coast will be without Nicholas Duarte, whose injury remains undisclosed, as well as Ryan Edmondson, who is sidelined with a fractured eye socket.
Miguel Di Pizio is also unavailable after undergoing knee surgery, which is expected to keep him out until January, while Brad Tapp faces a longer recovery period, being ruled out with a cruciate ligament injury until June next year.
Meanwhile, the visitors are grappling with an extensive injury list that includes Kristian Popovic and Andrew Nabbout, who are both sidelined with cruciate ligament tears, adding to their woes.
Marco Tilio and Mathew Leckie are nursing hamstring injuries, while Alessandro Lopane is recovering from a knee issue, James Jeggo is struggling with muscle soreness and Max Caputo remains out with a leg injury.
Central Coast Mariners possible starting lineup:
Peraic-Cullen; Sainsbury, Kaltak, Paull; Mauragis, Steele, McCalmont, Roux; Eames, Kuol, Doka
Melbourne City possible starting lineup:
Beach; Atkinson, Trewin, Souprayen, Behich; Ugarkovic, Schreiber; Cohen, Kuen, Politidis; Memeti
We say: Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Melbourne City
Central Coast's defensive struggles at home may prove costly against a Melbourne City side unbeaten on the road, and with the visitors' strong away form and the Mariners seeking stability, a closely fought contest could end in a narrow City victory.
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