Melbourne City consider signing injury replacement for defender Connor Chapman

MELBOURNE City has not ruled out signing an injury replacement for Connor Chapman, but will make an assessment after Saturday night’s Melbourne derby.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 26: Melbourne City coach John Vant Schip looks on during a Melbourne City A-League training session at City Football Academy on November 26, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE City has not ruled out signing an injury replacement for Connor Chapman, but will make an assessment after Saturday night’s Melbourne derby.

English Premier League veteran Aaron Hughes looks set to return from a calf problem to replace Chapman, who’ll miss at least two months, and partner City captain Patrick Kisnorbo in central defence.

A year ago City reacted to the 5-1 mauling at the hands of Wellington Phoenix by signing defenders Jack Clisby, Kew Jaliens and Safuwan Baharudin and attacker Harry Novillo.

There will be no such mid-season panic buys with City Football Group chiefs confident about the squad’s depth and balance.

As well as Chapman, there is scope to bring in an injury replacement for attacker Corey Gameiro. Youth player Hernan Espindola has replaced fellow knee injury victim Marc Marino on the list.

Jacob Melling, who was cleared of serious injury after being subbed against Newcastle Jets on Sunday, is on standby to play a makeshift defensive role, but will likely to start in midfield.

Having endured more pain than pleasure during his 2½ years at the club, Kisnorbo was not getting excited by City’s recent run of form.

“Yeah. Three wins in a row, we’ve scored a lot of goals. We have got a bit of momentum, but football changes very quickly,” Kisnorbo said.

“Potential is a word that I hear quite a lot, but our team at the moment are doing pretty well. We’re a group of players that are very united and work hard for each other on and off the pitch. There’s a real togetherness and if we can bring that into the game that would be fantastic.

“But you can’t judge a team in one game, you have to judge them over a year. There’s no point talking about finals football after Round 10 or 11, we’ve got to concentrate on this week.

Patrick Kisnorbo hopes City can keep hold of star midfielder Aaron Mooy.

“We’re concentrating on ourselves, getting our basics right and hopefully that holds us in good stead on Saturday. Any win’s great, but this week there’s a big emphasis because it’s a Melbourne derby.’’

With much hype surrounding the form of Aaron Mooy, who the Herald Sun revealed would stay at the club until the end of the season, Kisnorbo said he had a solid platform.

“What’s most important is that Aaron is right with himself and the club,’’ he said.

“He’s staying here and he’s got to concentrate here first and whatever happens here happens, but it’s most important for him to focus on this year.

“For the time being we have him here and we’ll use him to our full ability. Long may it continue that he keeps doing a good job for us.

“At the end of the day he has 10 players behind him. He’s doing very well, but so are the players next to him, Bruno’s scoring, Harry, Ivan Franjic had two assists.’’

Originally published as Melbourne City consider signing injury replacement for defender Connor Chapman