Third-placed Central Coast Mariners will face a tough test when they face A-League table-toppers Melbourne City on Saturday.
Both sides will head into the encounter in a positive mood after winning their last two respective games.
Match preview
Since losing 2-0 to Melbourne Victory on March 19, Central Coast Mariners have returned to winning ways in impressive fashion.
After thrashing Brisbane Roar 4-1 at the start of the month, the Mariners claimed another comfortable victory in their away meeting with Western United last weekend.
Jason Cummings, Beni Nkololo and Dylan Wenzel-Halls all put their name on the scoresheet to guide their side to a commanding 3-0 win, which ended a three-game winless away run.
With three games left to play in the regular season, Nick Montgomery's side are four points adrift of second-placed Adelaide United, and as a result, they still have an outside chance of securing a top-two finish, which would guarantee them a place in the semi-finals of the playoffs.
Home advantage in Monday's encounter could be a decisive factor for the Mariners, who are unbeaten in their last eight home games (W6, L2).
Melbourne City, meanwhile, have avoided defeat in five consecutive games (W3, L2) after they hammered Wellington Phoenix 4-1 last weekend thanks to braces from Jamie MacLaren and Marco Tulio.
The result represented their ninth home win of the 2022-23 campaign and ensured that City remain the only team in the A-League who are yet to lose a home game this season.
Having played three consecutive home matches, City will now head on their travels where they will be looking to end a three-game winless away run, after defeats to Melbourne Victory and Adelaide were followed by a goalless draw against Macarthur on their most recent away trip.
If they can claim three points at Industree Group Stadium then Melbourne City will be crowned champions of the regular season, but should they lose or draw they could still secure top spot depending on the result of Adelaide's home meeting with Western United on Sunday.
A quick look at their recent head-to-head record with Central Coast Mariners will inspire confidence in the City dressing room, as they have won each of the last five meetings between the two sides.
Team News
After winning their last two matches, Mariners boss Montgomery could be tempted to name an unchanged lineup for a third game in a row.
Nectarios Trianitis will continue to operate in central defence alongside Brian Kaltak, and the pair will be aiming to help the Mariners keep consecutive clean sheets for the first time this season.
With 16 goals to his name, Cummings is the second-highest scorer in the A-League this season, and he will pose one of the home side's main goal threats when he leads the line alongside Tulio.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Mathew Leckie and Richard Van der Venne due to hamstring and calf injuries respectively.
Long-term absentee Arion Sulemani also remains sidelined, but Scott Jamieson could come back into the starting lineup after serving a one-match suspension.
Having scored 20 goals this season, MacLaren is currently the A-League's top scorer, and he will have the chance to add to his tally when he features up front on Saturday.
Central Coast Mariners possible starting lineup:
Vukovic; Roux, Triantis, Kaltak, McGarry; Nkololo, Balard, Nisbet, Silvera; Cummings, Tulio
Melbourne City possible starting lineup:
Glover; Talbot, Lam, Good, Bos; Berisha, Jamieson, O'Neill; Tilio, Nabboout, MacLaren
We say: Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Melbourne City
Melbourne City have been the standout side in the A-League this season, and after winning their last five meetings with Central Coast Mariners, we think that they will have the quality and belief required to claim all three points on Saturday.
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