A-League: Sydney FC braced for a hungry Adelaide United

It’s not lost on Sydney FC that struggling Adelaide have amassed as many points as the runaway leaders have dropped.

Henrique, right, will return to action for Adelaide United against Sydney FC. Picture: Sam Wundke

It’s not lost on Sydney FC that struggling Adelaide have amassed as many A-League points as the runaway leaders have dropped.

Yet the Sky Blues refuse to take today’s top-versus-bottom clash lightly, wary that it was about this time last season that Guillermo Amor’s defending champions started to fire.

The Reds had three points after seven rounds in 2015-16, one more than the two they’ve accrued in the same period of this, so far horrendous campaign. After eight games, they were still tied to the bottom of the table, but Sydney centreback Alex Wilkinson is mindful of what happened next — a 14-match unbeaten run that ended with the premiership-championship double. And he said Graham Arnold’s undefeated Sky Blues, who dropped their first points of the season in last weekend’s draw with Brisbane, were prepared to host a team low in confidence but even hungrier for a win.

“Obviously, Adelaide have had a few struggles early on this year, just like they did last year — and look where they ended up last year,” Wilkinson said. “They’re definitely not a team that deserves to be on the bottom of the league.

“We’ll be treating them with the same respect we treat every opponent (with).

“We’re expecting a difficult game and they’ll be well up for getting their first win of the season.

“Obviously, Adelaide’s confidence might be a little low so, if we can get on top of them early and maybe grab a goal, that would be great for us and put them on the back foot.”

Arnold again has a fully fit squad to choose from but he may tweak the line-up with Wednesday’s FFA Cup final in mind.

The Reds, plagued by injuries, appear to be emerging from the darkness with striker Henrique back from a knee problem to boost the attack along with Sergi Guardiola, who appears to have recovered from last weekend’s injury against Perth.

But Arnold sees a clear advantage in Amor’s absence from the Allianz Stadium sidelines as the Spaniard serves a one-match ban for his outburst during United’s controversial loss last Friday to the Glory.

“You saw the same with Kenny Lowe; it’s not the same for the players without the coach on the sideline,” Arnold said.

“The players always look across to the coach for reassurance and tactical instructions.”

Henrique admits the struggling Reds will be up against it without Amor, who will be watching from the Allianz Stadium grandstands.

Henrique, who has missed the past four weeks, admitted the team was at a difficult juncture.

“It’s a hard time for us,” the Brazilian-Australian said yesterday. “Every game is a difficult game but this one will be even more because they are top of the table.

“We need to stick together. We need to keep up the hard work — that’s the only thing we can do.

“Sooner or later, the win will come.”

Henrique, 31, was originally set to spend six weeks on the sidelines after suffering a medial ligament tear in Adelaide’s round-three clash with Melbourne Victory, but has returned to fitness two weeks ahead of schedule.

His presence should help improve the Reds’ stuttering attack, with the team having scored just seven goals this season. Only Wellington have scored fewer.

“It’s just a matter of composure, get in front of the goal and take the right decision.

“Sometimes, it’s not shooting — it’s passing to the player next to you,” Henrique said.

“As soon as we win, things will fall together and we’re going to be right.”

AAP