Winning sides love to strike while the iron is hot and continue the momentum by playing soon after they have just taken three points. Losing teams can't wait for the chance to make amends, the sooner the better.

"It's actually been pretty good, especially for team unity and togetherness," Muscat said on Wednesday

"We were able to travel together, stay together, do a lot of recovery and also just relax as a team and a squad. I think it's been helpful. It's not what you would want to do every game, but it's fine occasionally."

Victory finally broke their seasonal duck in West Australia on Sunday evening when they beat Glory 2-0. They are now preparing to meet the team now managed by Muscat's former coach, Ernie Merrick.

The win lifted them into the top six and brought their unbeaten run to five. Since losing their first two matches of the season, to Melbourne City and Sydney FC, they have drawn four and now won one.

"I thought we played well. It was an excellent performance and it was great to be able to tackle a game without too many distractions in the lead-up."

Most of Victory's campaign has been disrupted by the unavailability of key players like Mark Milligan and James Troisi through international call-ups with the Socceroos, while Kosta Barbarouses has also been an absentee because he was away with the New Zealand All Whites.

Barbarouses has rejoined the squad for the Newcastle game, and he is likely to figure although Muscat did not say he would be in the starting line-up for sure.

"Sometimes you have to reward the players who do a job and keep faith with them. The boys did a great job in Perth, so we will have to wait and see how things are after more training sessions. "

Newcastle, the surprise package of the season so far, are looking to the short turnaround to bounce back to winning ways after crashing to Sydney FC on Saturday, their first loss of the season.