The Sky Blues will return to Allianz Stadium on Saturday at 7:45pm as they look to secure back-to-back Isuzu UTE A-League victories for the first time since May earlier this year.
After defeating Perth Glory 3-2, the Sky Blues will have to shift gears to beat Macarthur FC, who have risen to third place since defeating Adelaide United 4-3 on Monday night.
Sydney FC came out firing against the Glory and found connections that troubled the Glory defence with Mitch Glasson, Joe Lolley,
and Robert Mak finding the back of the net.
After the game Head Coach Ufuk Talay applauded the Sky Blues attack who got 32 shots off, their most this season, and he will be looking for more of the same against a threatening Bulls outfit.
Other than the two goals conceded, the Sky Blues’ defence was strong enough to prevent frequent Glory attacks.
In positive news, the Sky Blues will be able to call upon Anthony Caceres who had the week off after picking up an ankle injury.
Nathan Amanatidis is fully fit and will be back in his first match since the Australia Cup Quarter Final after a groin injury.
Sydney FC will forgo Jaiden Kucharski, Max Burgess and Jack Rodwell, however they should be fit to return for next weekend’s Big Blue away to Melbourne Victory.
Macarthur FC picked up no further injuries after their outing with Adelaide on Monday night.
However, they will be without defender Jake McGing who is out with a groin injury picked up in the pre-season.
The Bulls remain undefeated this season.
In their previous outing against a top-four opponent they overturned a 2-3 deficit in the final ten minutes to beat Adelaide United 4-3 with two goals in two minutes.
The Bulls were scrappy in defence, often allowing Adelaide to drop the shoulder, sneak around the outside of them, and fire the ball into the box.
This could be due to fatigue, as Macuathur has played three games in two weeks, including a trip to Thailand.
Sydney FC will have to be wary of the Bulls forwards, who have scored 21 goals across both Asian and Australian competitions since the beginning of this season.
The Bulls have creativity in attack whether cutting the ball onto the inside, converting set pieces or long passes.
This attack may trouble Sydney FC’s defence; however, after a solid defensive performance, especially in the first half against Perth, the defence will look to do another performance again.
Key Matchup: Robert Mak vs Matthew Millar
Robert Mak and Matthew Millar have arguably been two of their club’s most dominant players, with both inspiring attacking havoc and having an impact on the scoreline.
Millar has scored three goals in four games in the A-League, throughout different periods in the match, which makes him an unpredictable midfielder to defend.
Having just recorded his 100th A-League appearance, the Bulls right-winger has been looking to build on his form from last season.
As the leader of the Macarthur attack, Robert Mak may be tested defensively against Millar to keep the Sky Blues’ goal intact.
Mak scored one of his own last week against Perth with a solo effort that saw him manoeuvre past six defenders so the Slovakian international could cause his own problems for Millar.
This matchup is a fascinating watch and the Bulls will need to not be as sloppy as they were against the Adelaide attack Monday.
Former Player Returns:
The match will see the return of Championship Winning Sydney FC stars Matthew Jurman and Danny De Silva who now play for the Bulls, while former Sky Blues Youth League Championship winner Jake Hollman clashes with his brother and housemate Corey Hollman.
Match Details:
Sydney FC vs Macarthur FC
Isuzu UTE A-League Round Seven
Saturday 9th December 2023
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, NSW
Kick Off: 7:45pm AEDT
Gates Open: 6:45pm AEDT
Broadcast Live: Paramount+ and 10BOLD
Tickets: Click Here
