Adelaide United expect a ‘different’ Melbourne City at AAMI Park

Both Jamie Maclaren and Melbourne City are due, and that could spell trouble for Adelaide United.

The prolific Jamie Maclaren is due to score for Melbourne City. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Adelaide United coach Carl Veart is wary of a star-studded Melbourne City side chasing its first win in three matches on Sunday at AAMI Park.

Such is the standard A-League leaders City have set, back-to-back draws – including a stalemate in which the competition’s best team was kept scoreless for the first time this season – have been an unexpected glitch.

Similarly, star striker Jamie Maclaren’s run of two matches without a goal has almost come as a shock after he scored 13 times in City’s opening 10 games.

Suggestions are that both City and Maclaren are due, and it’s the Reds in the firing line on Sunday.

“They’ll be wanting to bounce back,” Veart said.

“They’ve had a couple of down games in the last few weeks.

“They’re a quality side, so we expect a different City side that will come out with a lot more purpose, so it’s important that we keep our focus and keep our discipline, and have that belief, and go there and get the three points.”

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— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) January 25, 2023

Veart said City remained “by far the best team in the league”.

“When you look at the season so far ... they’re the one team that has been very consistent and have played some excellent football so far this year,” he said.

“It’s going to be a big test for our group, but I’m sure we can match them.”

The Reds trail City by eight points, with Veart saying his side was not “where we want to be” halfway through the season.

“We’ve had a mixed bag of performances,” said Veart, who also lamented having had players sent off in five matches this season.

“The biggest Achilles heel we’ve had is we’ve played too many games with 10 men, which makes it very difficult on the playing group.

“The playing group have had a good discussion around that because we can’t keep going the way we have done in the first half of the season.

“We need all our players on the pitch to get positive results. We’re going into the second half of the season with a belief that if we play our football and keep our discipline that we will get into the finals at the end of the season.”

City coach Rado Vidosic wasn’t concerned with his side’s failure to score in last weekend’s 0-0 with Brisbane Roar at Kayo Stadium

“That was one of the very rare games where we didn’t score a goal,” Vidosic said.

“It was just one of those days when things did not fall into the right place on the night.”

Originally published as Adelaide United expect a ‘different’ Melbourne City at AAMI Park