Heading into this Sunday’s Melbourne derby clash at AAMI Park against their crosstown rivals, Melbourne City, hosts, Melbourne Victory will be desperate to record a win in this final match of the season over their arch-rivals and at least end the season on a positive note.
Melbourne Victory recorded an emphatic 6-1 win away from home at Western United last time out in the A-League.
Take us back 😩😩Jamie Maclaren had @AAMIPark going nuts back in April, bagging goal number four and five within 80 seconds 🌟#CmonCity | #MelbDerby pic.twitter.com/Y1UZmFgeQm— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) June 4, 2021
Take us back 😩😩Jamie Maclaren had @AAMIPark going nuts back in April, bagging goal number four and five within 80 seconds 🌟#CmonCity | #MelbDerby pic.twitter.com/Y1UZmFgeQm
Although, this result masked what has been a dreadful campaign from the hosts as they sit second from bottom in the division having won just five matches all season.
Recent results have also been poor as Victory have lost six of their last eight games overall in the Australian top flight and perhaps their humiliating 7-0 defeat at the hands of their rivals, Melbourne City, back in April, could also be in the backs of their minds prior to this encounter.
In addition, Victory have registered just one win out of their last eight matches at home.
They have also come off second-best in recent exchanges against Melbourne city, losing the last three meetings on the trot, conceding 15 goals and scoring just 1 in reply.
Melbourne City will finish top of the A-League standings at the end of the regular season no matter what the result is on Sunday against their local rivals, Melbourne Victory, but the ‘visitors’ won’t want to miss an opportunity to further rub their local rival’s noses in it in this local derby.
Melbourne City will also be keen to return to winning ways as they prepare for the upcoming play-offs, especially after being handed a heavy 3-0 defeat away from home at Brisbane Roar last time out at the Moreton Daily Stadium, and return to the kind of form that they displayed when putting together an impressive 10-match unbeaten run prior to that surprising loss.
That solid sequence of results also included seven wins with notable victories over Brisbane Roar 3-2, Adelaide United 4-1 and the aforementioned 7-0 thrashing of their local rivals, Victory.
Therefore, City will be confident that they can end the season on a high note at their rivals expense.
Melbourne City have emerged as the new major power in the A-League and they should record another derby win over Melbourne Victory this Sunday.