With their place in the top three of the Australian A-League table in danger after a dip in form, Western Sydney Wanderers will look to return to winning ways on Sunday when they entertain Western United.
The hosts have now gone four games without a victory in the league, while their visitors have gained a lead over basement side Melbourne Victory with a slight upturn in their own form in recent weeks.
Match preview
After a somewhat disappointing A-League season last time around, in which they finished 10th with just 27 points from 26 games, Western Sydney Wanderers enjoyed a far better start to the new term, putting five wins and 18 points on the board in their opening 10 outings.
That was capped off by a 4-0 thrashing of Macarthur after the turn of the year, in which Yeni Ngbakoto, Oliver Bozanic, Brandon Borrello and Ramy Najjarine all got on the scoresheet, but Mark Rudan's side were unable to make it two on the bounce as they lost their next contest 1-0 away at Perth Glory.
While they have not suffered another defeat in their three outings since, the Sydney outfit have not been able to make a return to winning ways either, firstly picking up a commendable point from a 1-1 draw at home to league leaders Melbourne City, before having to settle for another draw by the same scoreline away at strugglers Newcastle Jets.
In their search for a sixth league win of the campaign, Wanderers were most recently in action away at Central Coast Mariners last Saturday, and after coming from behind to lead 2-1 through Ngbakoto and Borrello, they again only managed to come away with a point as Jason Cummings drew their hosts level in the 73rd minute.
With that leveller keeping them two points behind the second-placed Mariners, and with the likes of Wellington Phoenix, Adelaide United and in-form Perth Glory gaining ground on the top three, Rudan's men will be desperate to end their winless run at the weekend and add three more points to their tally.
They welcome a Western United side who will travel with some renewed confidence, having now gone three games unbeaten after a tough start to the campaign.
After winning the A-League Grand Final for the first time last year, John Aloisi's side only managed to earn a single point from their first five games, before a mixed run of results saw them sit on 11 points from 11 outings.
Following a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Melbourne City, the champions took on Newcastle Jets in mid-January and had to settle for a 1-1 draw as Lachlan Wales's early goal was cancelled out, before they made an important return to winning ways at home to Sydney FC, with Alessandro Diamanti hitting the only goal of the game four minutes from time.
Aiming to build further on that and make it back-to-back triumphs and three games unbeaten, Aloisi's men travelled to Macarthur last weekend, and after going ahead through Wales on the hour mark, they would find themselves trailing 2-1 going into the dying minutes, only to snatch another result with a late goal as Nicolas Milanovic levelled the scores just before injury time.
While they still have plenty of work to do to salvage their campaign, given they sit 11th with just a two-point lead over basement side Melbourne Victory, Western United will take some confidence from their recent results and will hope to keep building momentum and begin climbing up the division with just a two-point gap to sixth-placed Macarthur and seventh-placed Perth Glory.
Team News
Western Sydney Wanderers' attack should again be led by Brandon Borrello, who has netted two goals in three appearances since moving to a central role to take his tally to four league goals for the season.
He will have support from several other players in scoring form, with winger Yeni Ngbakoto and midfielder Oliver Bozanic having both netted three goals in eight A-League matches this term.
Behind the three in support of Borrello, Romain Amalfitano and Calem Nieuwenhof should again operate at the base of midfield with Marcelo and Tomislav Mrcela set to partner up in the middle of a back four.
Western United's attack has been heavily reliant on Lachlan Wales recently, and he should again play a key role in a trio behind frontman Noah Botic, with Nicolas Milanovic also vying to join that unit after scoring off the bench last time out.
Alessandro Diamanti could also be called on from the start, with the 39-year-old Italian having contributed 11 goals and 18 assists in 71 games for the club, but Alosi has tended to use him off the bench for the majority of this season.
Neil Kilkenny is a mainstay in the engine room and should again partner Tongo Doumbia in front of a back four, with Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Leo Lacroix offering plenty more experience in the middle of the defence.
Western Sydney Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Thomas; Cleur, Mrcela, Marcelo, Traore; Amalfitano, Nieuwenhof; Wilmering, Bozanic, Ngbakoto; Borrello
Western United possible starting lineup:
Young; Imai, Lacroix, Topor-Stanley, Risdon; Kilkenny, Doumbia; Wales, Milanovic, Pain; Botic
We say: Western Sydney Wanderers 1-1 Western United
While the sides had totally contrasting starts to the campaign, Western Sydney Wanderers are lacking momentum at present, while their visitors may be on a slight upwards trajectory, and we see Aloisi's men leaving with a share of the spoils as a result.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
