Mathew Leckie set to make his first Socceroos appearance in a year

One of the Socceroos’ most decorated attacking players is set to make his first national team appearance since June last year.

Mathew Leckie has been recalled to the Socceroos squad. Picture: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Mathew Leckie’s Socceroos career has been revived by national coach Graham Arnold, with the Melbourne City veteran chosen in Australia’s squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine.

Arnold will announce on Wednesday what’s expected to be a 25-man squad that’s also likely to include Bayern Munich-bound prodigy Nestory Irankunda and former whiz-kid Daniel Arzani.

As revealed last week by News Corp Australia, the squad won’t include captain and goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who will be rested, with the three glovemen chosen being Aston Villa’s Joe Gauci, Western Sydney’s Lawrence Thomas and Melbourne Victory’s Paul Izzo.

Apart from Ryan, also among those missing from the squad will be injured quintet Craig Goodwin, Riley McGree, Aiden O’Neill, Marco Tilio and Brandon Borrello.

However, 33-year-old Leckie will be in the national squad after missing the Socceroos’ past 13 matches.

Leckie’s most recent of his 78 appearances for Australia was in China in June last year in the Socceroos’ 2-0 loss to Argentina.

Mathew Leckie is back in the Socceroos squad. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

He was initially chosen in the Australia’s squad for last September’s 2-2 draw with Mexico in Dallas but suffered a knee injury at a training session just days before the game.

Injuries then continued to cost Leckie place in subsequent squads, including Australia’s AFC Asian Cup roster.

However, Leckie made a timely return to fitness and form for City in the closing stages of the A-League season.

Leckie will be part of an attacking arsenal also expected to include his A-League All-Stars teammate and uncapped Newcastle Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.

Melbourne Victory star Arzani, 25, was a member of Australia’s 2018 World Cup squad, but hasn’t represented the Socceroos since then.

Regardless of their results against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Thursday week and Palestine in Peth on June 11, the Socceroos have already booked their place in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers.

However, they are intent on winning both games to give them the best possible chance of being among the three nations in pot one for the third-round draw.