A resurgent Adelaide will be looking to make it three wins in four matches as their form brightens the gloom for fans after their poor start to the campaign.
Injury-hit Wellington can draw some inspiration from their last encounter against United, a comprehensive 4-2 victory at Westpac Stadium.
If the upcoming Boxing Day showdown between these two sides is anywhere near as exciting as the goal-fest in week six, then the crowd at Adelaide’s Coopers Stadium will have even more to celebrate than the Boxing Day deals they picked up before the match. However, with both sides recording low-scoring draws in week 10 action (for the Nix, a 1-1 with Sydney at home and Adelaide a 0-0 away at Newcastle), fans will be hoping for an entertaining spectacle rather than expecting one.
The Nix will be desperate to reproduce the quality of football that they showcased against Adelaide in round six as they have failed to get anywhere near that scintillating level since. United’s prospects have improved since they beat the Glory in round nine, and they will be looking for revenge against Wellington at home.
Ernie Merrick and Guillermo Amor will remind their charges to take it easy on the Christmas lunches and to stay away from the pudding, as this game will require all their players (especially the strikers) to be in tip-top form if both sides are to put an end to their recent scoring difficulties.
Adelaide will fancy their chances of getting a result on their home turf with the Phoenix facing an avalanche of injuries to defenders in particular. The Nix, who have often struggled to cover the flanks with their wing-back system, have lost both of their regular starters for this game. Left-back Tom Doyle is out after picking up his fifth yellow of the season – he won the penalty that team mate Roy Krishna converted in the last-minute draw against Sydney – and must now serve the mandatory one-game suspension.
Right-back Louis Fenton has once again succumbed to injury, this time tearing ankle ligaments in the draw against Sydney. He again looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
Veteran Ben Sigmund, who is retiring at the end of the season, is still battling a niggling hamstring injury along with team mate Justin Gulley, which should see Troy Danaskos start for the first time this season. Youngster Alex Rufer is out for the season after breaking his leg in a Phoenix reserve match in the ASB Premiership.
The Phoenix could lose even more players to suspension in this encounter as key players Roly Bonevacia, Albert Riera and Alex Rodriguez are all sitting on four yellow cards.
After recording back-to-back home wins at Coopers Stadium and getting some key players back from injury, Adelaide should feel confident of getting the job done as well as a measure of revenge, at home against a depleted Phoenix. A win would be the perfect gift for fans that have had to wait patiently for success this season.
With Marcelo Carrusca and Jimmy Jeggo fit and firing up front and the team starting to look solid at the back with the likes of Michael Marrone, Tarek Elrich and Goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic stepping up in recent weeks, Adelaide will hope they can get another win at home, and continue their revival on the night after Christmas.
We are right in the thick of the most hectic phase of the home and away season, and both sides will be desperate for a win to give their fans some festive cheer. Let’s hope this game is a spectacle that provides some goals and pure passion, as well as three points for a deserved victor.
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