Sydney FC v Western Sydney Wanderers
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Parramatta Stadium, 7.30pm
Referee: Peter Green
TV Broadcast: Fox Sports 4
Radio: 702 ABC Sydney
Odds: Western Sydney $2.35, Draw $3.30, Sydney FC $2.90 (sportsbet.com.au)
LIKELY TEAMS
Sydney FC (4-2-2-2): Janjetovic; Abbas, Petkovic, Ognenovski, Ryall; Antonis, Triantis; Brosque, Ibini; Smeltz, Janko.
Western Sydney (4-2-3-1): Covic; Cole, Topor-Stanley, Spiranovic, Mullen; Poljak, La Rocca; Rukavytsya, Saba, Castelen; Juric.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played 7: Western Sydney 3, Drawn 1, Sydney FC 3
FIVE TO WATCH
1. Vitor Saba (Western Sydney)
Starting to show his real colours with some better displays as the Wanderers' number 10. After being sent off in the last derby when the match was in the balance, he owes Wanderers fans in a major way.
2. Vedran Janjetovic (Sydney FC)
Has been in super form ever since his howler in round two, including a string of clean sheets. Has claims for being among the most improved goalkeepers in the whole competition and is making the spot his own beyond question.
3. Iacopo La Rocca (Western Sydney)
His slack marking allowed Marcos Flores to waltz through to score the leveller for Newcastle last week and Tony Popovic won't have missed that in his video review session. Expect the Italian to be much tighter this week.
4. Alex Brosque (Sydney FC)
Bagged the winner when these two teams last met and would dearly love to do so again. May get some room to move out on the left and he remains Sydney's most dynamic outlet. Near impossible to close down when on his game.
5. Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney)
Australia's best defender should be a walk-up starter for the Asian Cup squad but that ankle injury means he needs to make every post a winner between now and January to lock down his starting berth. A faultless derby display is all Ange Postecoglou needs to see.
KEY MATCH UP
Tomi Juric (Western Sydney) v Sasa Ognenovski (Sydney FC)
Just to demonstrate his brilliance, Juric last week smacked a volley from a corner so crisply that a deflection couldn't stop it from bulging the back of the net. He's flush with ability and while he appears to have regained full fitness, wily veteran Sasa Ognenovski has a bag of sneaky tricks to throw Juric off his game.
IN THE DUGOUT
Tony Popovic (Western Sydney)
Gets the luxury of a full seven day break without travel, something the Wanderers haven't had since last season. But with that comes the expectation that the Wanderers need to fire. The derby is no time for excuses and Popovic knows this better than most.
Graham Arnold (Sydney FC)
Has artfully managed to avoid defeat so far this campaign and while a win would be a huge result to keep pace with the competition pace-setters, denying the Wanderers - just as he did against Adelaide and then Melbourne Victory - will be his first priority.