Big guns in for derby
SOCCEROOS stars Mark Milligan and James Troisi are set to start for Melbourne Victory in tomorrow night’s derby despite playing key roles in Australia’s World Cup qualifying win over Syria on Tuesday.
But fellow Aussie hero Tim Cahill is almost certain to feature off the bench for Melbourne City.
Kevin Muscat and Warren Joyce have mass selection headaches going into the Etihad Stadium clash.
Muscat again has at his disposal Milligan, Troisi and Kiwi international Kosta Barbarouses — who will also start on a wing — as well as fit again Argentine midfielder Matias Sanchez, who is likely to come off the bench after missing the loss to Sydney with a hamstring injury.
The returning trio are likely to replace Thomas Deng, Jai Ingham and Mitch Austin, with Leigh Broxham shifting to left-back and Leroy George to a wing.
At City, Cahill’s presence will be a boost given his midweek exploits.
But further complicating Joyce’s selection processes are Marcin Budzinski’s improved fitness base after his cameo off the bench last week and the selection of Neil Kilkenny in the extended squad yesterday.
Kilkenny, City’s player of the year last season, was a conspicuous absentee off City’s teamsheet for last week’s 2-0 triumph against Brisbane.
The midfielder has twice been struck down with the flu in the past month and had been afflicted with a back complaint last week.
But as has been Joyce’s approach to selection so far, Kilkenny now faces a fight to win back his spot in the team, with Luke Brattan starring last week and Osama Malik seemingly prominent in the coach’s plans.