VICTORY WANTS TO GET ON ROLL

MELBOURNE Victory is desperate to avoid the “hangover” of a rare A-League win when it hosts Western United in Saturday night’s derby at Marvel Stadium.

The Victory snapped a three-game losing streak with a Rudy Gestede-inspired 2-0 midweek win over fellow struggler Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park.

“We don’t want to just get up for that game then have a hangover after it,” Victory coach Grant Brebner said.

“We don’t want to make it just that one game. We need to carry us forward.

“We want to keep that momentum going, so it’s important that we continue that vein of form.”

It is a task easier said than done against a United side set to provide Victory with a much tougher test.

“We’re going to come up against a really experienced front three at Western United, so we’ll come up with a formula that will best help us,” Brebner said.

The trio of attacking weapons includes former Victory star Besart Berisha.

Berisha scored a brace in United’s 4-1 thrashing of a poor Macarthur FC in Bendigo last Saturday. The double took Berisha’s goal tally to 138 in

219 A-League appearances.

His two-goal effort was matched by former Premier League marksman Gestede in the Victory’s win over the Phoenix.

“It was important to show where I came from,” Gestede said. “I’m happy to help the team and score goals, because I’m there for that, but the result at the end was brilliant.”

Victory seems certain to lose New Zealand international Marco Rojas to injury, to the frustration of Brebner, who is keen to have attacking quartet Gestede, Rojas, Callum McManaman and Robbie Kruse play together.

“Every minute they get on the park together is a bonus. (Against the Phoenix) was the first time we’ve been able to field the front four (together), albeit again, we lose Marco to another tackle,” he said.