Soccer training ground neighbours Albury City and Albury United are undefeated heading into Sunday’s round 5 clash — United’s only blemish being a draw with Myrtleford at Savoy Park in the season opener.

Mike Brownsea has proven a matchwinner in a shift to striker this year and bagged a brace for the Green Machine in its past two wins.

City’s talented junior brigade have long been touted as league title material, but the return of Tristan Ivanku and a solid backline that includes Aaron Gough and Matt Hogan has been a key to their unbeaten start.

But AWFA’s reigning star goalkeeper Campbell Taylor was downplaying any talk of favouritism for City.

“We have had some good results so far but it is still early days and we’ll get a better idea in the next few weeks,” he said

“The derby is always tough and while I’m not sure about being favourites, it’s a nice compliment.

“We’ll just be working on the same things we have been working on from the start of the year and showing the usual respect for Albury United.

“Nick Higgins is one of the players who will be available this weekend for the derby, but a lot will depend on training.

“The Boomers game was quite a physical, maybe fiery, so it will be a little bit about managing injuries and putting the best squad on the park that we can.”

United veteran and new season coach Matt Campbell is another wary of making title predictions based on the first month of soccer.

“A lot of people are still trying to work out the effect of Murray United on clubs and it really is a matter of taking it one week at a time at the moment,” he said.

“We certainly haven’t peaked or played our best football, but there would be plenty of clubs at the same stage — it might be June before we get a handle on where we stand.”

Campbell said a generational shift had brought a new hunger to one of the competition’s powerhouses.

“This group is a bit more hungry, probably working harder — they weren’t happy with the way last season ended and want to do something about that on the park,” he said.

“It’s a new look group as well with Josh Mul- cahy, Sam Graetz, Cade Webb no longer there.

“These younger guys are not burdened by past history and now want to make a bit of their own.”