The Melbourne Rectangular Stadium plays host to the A-League Boxing Day matchup when Western United and Melbourne Victory go head to head on Monday.
The hosts secured a 2-1 victory over Anthony Popovic's side when the teams squared off in the Australian FFA Cup back in August and will be looking to continue in the same vein.
Match preview
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Western United moved from the bottom of the A-League table last Sunday when they picked up a slender 1-0 home victory over Western Sydney Wanderers.
Former Derby County striker Aleksandar Prijovic came up clutch for the hosts as he netted the only goal of the game in the fifth minute to send Mark Rudan's men back home empty handed.
Prior to that, Western United picked up their first win of the season on November 13 when they saw off Wellington Phoenix 3-2 to end a six-game winless run, before falling to a 2-1 loss against Perth Glory in their first game after the World Cup break four weeks later.
John Aloisi's side have now picked up two wins, one draw and lost five of their eight matches this season to collect seven points and sit 11th in the A-League standings, only above rock-bottom Perth Glory on goal difference.
While Western United will be looking to pick up successive wins for the first time since August and steer clear of the bottom of the table, next up is the stern challenge of facing a Melbourne Victory side who are unbeaten in five of the last six meetings between the teams, claiming four wins and one draw since May 2021.
However, their most recent encounter came in round of 32 of the Australian FFA Cup on August 3, when Aloisi's men picked up a 2-1 victory courtesy of an own goal from George Timotheou and Lachlan Wales's second-half effort.
Elsewhere, Melbourne Victory's game against local rivals Melbourne City two weeks ago was forcefully abandoned due to a bizarre pitch invasion which led to injuries to City goalkeeper Tom Glover, referee Alex King and several security guards.
Before the shocking brawl broke out, Richard van der Venne set up former Burnley midfielder Aiden O'Neill, who neatly executed his finish to hand Rado Vidosic's side an 11th-minute lead at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Prior to the derby, Popovic's men suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Adelaide United on November 11 which saw their two-game unbeaten run come to an end, before seeing off Macarthur 3-2 in their first game following the World Cup break on December 11.
With 10 points from seven games, Melbourne Victory are currently eighth in the A-League standings, level on points with ninth-placed Sydney FC, but could potentially move level on points with fourth-placed Central Coast Mariners with all three points on Monday.
Team News
Following his winner against Western Sydney Wanderers, Prijovic now has two goals in his last three matches and we expect the Serbian striker to spearhead Western United's attack once again.
He should be joined in the final third by strike partner James Troisi, who has started seven of the eight league matches this season, and 21-year-old Nicolas Milanovic, who has three goals to his name.
Following the abrupt end to the Melbourne Derby last time out, we expect Popovic to name a similar side on Monday, meaning that we could see a back three of George Timotheou, Leigh Broxham and Jason Geria shielding Paul Izzo in goal.
At the opposite end of the pitch, former Manchester United man Nani has started each of the Victory's seven matches this season and we expect the 36-year-old to lead the attack once again, alongside Bruno Fornaroli and Nicholas D'Agostino.
Rai Marchan and 24-year-old Jake Brimmer could also retain their roles at the centre of the park, while Christopher Ikonomidis and Cadete should take up the wing-back roles on either flank.
Western United possible starting lineup:
Young; Markovic, Topor-Stanley, Tratt; Pierias, Kilkenny, Doumbia, Wales; Milanovic, Troisi; Prijovic
Melbourne Victory possible starting lineup:
Izzo; Geria, Timotheou, Broxham, Cadete, Marchan, Brimmer, Ikonomidis; Nani, D'Agostino, Fornaroli
We say: Western United 1-1 Melbourne Victory
After stumbling into the new campaign, Western United appear to have hit their stride in recent weeks and will head into Monday looking to make it three wins from four matches. However, Melbourne Victory have been defensively resolute this season and we predict that they will cancel out the efforts of the hosts to hold out for a share of the spoils.
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