Ahead of the season’s third Melbourne Derby, we select the best combined team between the two local rivals.
The derby ledger currently sits at one apiece between City and Victory this season, and this instalment promises to be one of the most crucial in its history with both sides possessing some of the most potent attacking weapons in the league.
Both teams sit level on 28 points, with City fractionally ahead thanks to goal difference.
Did we miss anyone?
Thomas Sorensen – Goalkeeper – Melbourne City
If there was ever any doubt about City’s use of a foreign spot on a goalkeeper, those have long been buried. Sorensen was outstanding the last time these two sides met, almost wholly responsible for denying the Victory one, if not three, points, keeping the score at 2-1 in City’s favour.
Jason Geria – Right-back – Melbourne Victory
The pure athleticism of Geria, along with an outstanding performance against Western Sydney Wanderers last time out, sees the Olyroo nudge into the team ahead of City’s Ivan Franjic. Geria is no stranger to attacking forays and has taken his game to the next level in the past year, stringing together plenty of minutes that have been momentarily interrupted by international duty.
Matthieu Delpierre – Centre-back – Melbourne Victory
One of the best defenders in the league, if not the best, Delpierre is a picture of composure and virtually rock-solid. A sure pick, the Frenchman, who has clocked up miles in Germany, is a calming influence at the back and an invaluable asset to the Victory.
Paddy Kisnorbo – Centre-back – Melbourne City
Maligned by some, Kisnorbo personifies leadership and provides to City what Delpierre does to Victory. The former Leeds United has been a constant in the side and will need to be at his best to nullify the deadly front line of the Victory.
Michael Zullo – Left-back – Melbourne City
Forgotten Socceroo Zullo laboured through an injury-interrupted start to his City tenure, but since returning, the left-sided utility has made the wing-back role his own in John van’t Schip’s rejigged 3-5-2 formation. His fleet of foot is a constant threat and will provide fellow selection Jason Geria with a tricky assignment.
Leigh Broxham – Defensive-midfield – Melbourne Victory
The 200-game stalwart is a true jack of all trades. Capable of playing just about anywhere on the pitch, stand-in skipper Broxham has spent plenty of time this season deputising for felled captain Carl Valeri in his most natural position, defensive midfield, and is as reliable as any. Never a truer nickname has been given than Broxham’s ‘Mr Fix-it’ title.
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Kosta Barbarouses – Right-midfield – Melbourne Victory
The Kiwi is unplayable when on-song and is capable of giving defenders the most torrid of times, at his most dangerous in and around the penalty area when running at the back four. He has netted five times this season with as many assists.
Aaron Mooy – Attacking-midfield – Melbourne City
An easy selection. Mooy is the A-League’s best player with an incredible 14 assists and seven goals, a key contributor to an attack that has found the back of the net 44 times so far this campaign. Victory will be all too aware of the Socceroo’s bag of tricks after he laid a pin-point, 50-metre, outside of the boot pass on a plate for Stefan Mauk to equalise in this season’s first derby.
Harry Novillo – Left-midfield – Melbourne City
Another of City’s troublesome attacking trio. When Novillo scores goals, of which there have been nine, they are of the highest quality. There is little stopping the illusive Frenchman when he gets going – one only has to look as far as his stunning double against Western Sydney at AAMI Park in January.
Besart Berisha – Striker – Melbourne Victory
What really needs to be said to justify his selection? Berisha is as lethal as predators come and could quite easily be described as Victory’s lynchpin. Give him just a sniff and the Albanian will make teams pay in cash. Berisha, a lover of the derby stage, is the fiercest of City’s foes – he has seven goals against the Bundoora-based outfit in six contests.
Bruno Fornaroli – Striker – Melbourne City
This guy is laying down a refreshing challenge to Berisha for the title of A-League’s deadliest marksman. El Tuna sits one goal ahead of Berisha in the Golden Boot standings with 15, having netted 12 of those in 14 matches. Just this week, Fornaroli became the first ever player to win the PFA’s Player of the Month award twice in a row, an acclaim that speaks volumes of the regard in which his peers hold him in.
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