Teenager Daniel Arzani instrumental in City’s 5-0 demolition of Adelaide

MELBOURNE City has had an unhealthy reliance on Ross McCormack – until now. Teenager Daniel Arzani starred in the 5-0 demolition of fellow finals contender Adelaide United.

Daniel Arzani weaves through three defenders.

MELBOURNE City has had an unhealthy reliance on Ross McCormack – until now. Two words – Daniel Arzani.

The teenager starred in the 5-0 demolition of fellow finals contender Adelaide United, laying the platform as Marcin Budzinski was netting a brace, before Dario Vidosic and McCormack taunted the visitors with late stunners as City returned to third on the ladder.

City’s front four included Polish marquee player Budzinski, World Cup and 23-game Socceroo Vidosic and Nick Fitzgerald – the guy who City’s football department hold up as a role model in work ethic.

Daniel Arzani toys with Adelaide defenders.

In just his third A-League start, Arzani has less established himself in the first XI than assumed responsibility as City’s attacking focal point.

Arzani’s got a full bag of attacking tricks and a bucketload of confidence to boot, as displayed at AAMI Park:

- Finding pockets of space and the confidence to demand the ball, such as his assist for Budzinski’s first goal when he timed his run perfectly before beating two players;

- Identifying and then penetrating space, as he regularly pinned his ears back and took on the United defence;

- Canny use of his body to protect the ball and beat players;

- An impressive bag of skills, displaying the Zidane turn, nutmegs and stepovers.

In just six games and 283 minutes this season, he’s become a target for opposition but far from intimidated, he’s won it as a badge of honour.

An enthralling duel with Ersan Gulum, winning a free-kick which led to the first goal, and later Adelaide captain Isaias said much about his surety.

Ross McCormack celebrates scoring City’s fifth goal.

Burly Gulum slung him to the ground as Arzani harassed after almost skinning him, before Isaias went chest to chest with him after he slalomed past the Adelaide defence. Arzani nonchalantly shrugged him off.

Arzani has been directly involved in five City goals this season, with his fingerprints all over City’s crucial opener.

His dominance forced an Adelaide reshuffle at halftime, with Ben Garuccio brought on at left-back to contain Arzani with Ryan Strain moved into midfield.

Daniel Arzani weaves through three defenders.

Arzani was spent when he limped off on 67 minutes, replaced by McCormack.

His engine needs most work, though his last two actions of the game were a 50-metre defensive chase and being clattered by desperate defender Jordan Elsey.

City struggled to find avenues to goal without McCormack, who’d netted 13 of their 21 goals this season prior to Sunday.

Yet just moments after McCormack struck the crossbar with an outrageous lob attempt, Vidosic scored a spectacular volley to kill the game off before adding another in stoppage time along with McCormack.

The only blemish for City was an ankle injury to Nathaniel Atkinson, who was stretchered off after a long delay.

MELBOURNE CITY 5 (Budzinski 30, 35, Vidosic 89, 90+2, McCormack 90+5)

ADELAIDE UNITED 0

Crowd: 8103 at AAMI Park

Referee: Adam Fielding

Yellow cards: Elsey 44, Bouzanis 52, Schenkeveld 56, Isaias 59.

Red cards: Nil.

DAVUTOVIC’S MAN OF THE MATCH

Daniel Arzani (Melbourne City)

The teenager starred in the win, stepping up when the game was in the balance and taking control, causing the Adelaide defence havoc off the right wing.