Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce faces his biggest selection dilemma of the season

What happens when Jamie Maclaren, Riley McGree, Kearyn Baccus and Rostyn Griffiths are all fully fit and ready to go? It means Warren Joyce faces his biggest selection headache of the season.

Warren Joyce faces some massive selection calls. Picture: AAP Images

Melbourne City striker Jamie Maclaren has been passed fit for Friday night’s visit to an undermanned Newcastle Jets, in what looms as Warren Joyce’s biggest selection dilemma of the season.

Preferred midfield duo Kearyn Baccus and Rostyn Griffiths return from suspension and injury respectively, while Riley McGree is fully fit after being underdone going into last week and Dario Vidosic is nearing 100 per cent after a lay-off.

If City had tried to move on from last season’s catastrophic semi-final loss at Newcastle, they got a stark reminder this week with the Jets in Champions League action.

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That loss — and McGree’s scorpion — enabled the Jets and Melbourne Victory to nab City’s elusive, maiden Asian spot, with Joyce desperately seeking to qualify again this campaign.

Tottenham youth product Shayon Harrison sizzled on debut, while Maclaren scored before limping off with cramp and the coach declared they’d be better for the run.

“Shay (pulled up) a little bit better than Jamie,” Joyce said.

“Both (have) done well to do what they did last week to come in and hit the ground running with very little work. Then you build them up again.

Riley McGree is fully fit. Picture: AAP Images

“We’re trying to gel a whole new unit together with two new players coming in now we’ve got to find a winning mix to go in for the last few games of the season.”

In contrast to the full-strength City, the Jets, who defeated Persija Jakarta in extra-time just three days ago, will make a host of changes ahead of their clash with Japanese outfit Kashima Antlers in the next round of Asian qualifying on Tuesday.

Despite missing star quintet Dimi Petratos, Ronald Vargas, Nigel Boogaard, Ben Kantarovski and Daniel Georgievski, Joyce said it would be foolish to think Ernie Merrick’s side would neglect their A-League campaign.

Jamie Maclaren has been passed fit for Friday night’s visit to Newcastle. Picture: AAP Images

“I don’t think any team does that. I’d be disappointed if we were fortunate enough to be playing Champions League and we thought league games aren’t important,’’ he said.

“They’ve got an experienced enough manager who’s done really well in this league and lots of good players.

“I think it’s disrespectful for professional footballers to look at games any differently.

“We don’t expect an easy game — they’re where we want to be.”

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Originally published as Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce faces his biggest selection dilemma of the season