Ominous Melbourne Victory wary of old rivals Adelaide United

Victory coach Kevin Muscat isn’t about to get carried away even if the defending champions have an ominous look about them.

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat at Gosch’s Paddock this week. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat is not renowned for getting carried away and he isn’t about to start now, even if the defending champions have that ominous look about them so early in the A-League season.

Fresh from their 4-0 drubbing of a disappointing Western Sydney Wanderers last week, Victory are strong favourites to make it five wins on the trot when they play Adelaide United at Marvel Stadium tonight.

But as good as that performance — their best so far this season — was, Muscat is taking nothing for granted against an old adversary that has also made an impressive start to the season.

With just two spots and a point separating second-placed Victory and fourth-placed Adelaide, he knows his team are in for a tough night. Whether his men can produce the same stunning quality as last week remains to be seen, though Muscat wasn’t too concerned yesterday.

“To be honest, so much work has been done in preparing for Adelaide that last week is a distant memory,” he said. “More to the point is that we have worked hard on reproducing a performance against a very different opposition that presents a different challenge and one that will ask different questions.

“The one constant is that we have had a clear focus this week at training. It will be a shorter week for us so we have used the time to prepare against a team that is going well.”

The two clubs have a great history between them, having opposed each other in two grand finals as well as some of the most controversial games in A-League history.

As a player, Muscat was centre of attention a number of times. Who will ever forget his sideline confrontation with then Adelaide United coach John Kosmina in 2006 when Kosmina grabbed Muscat by the throat after the then Victory captain had knocked him off his seat as he went to pick up the ball for a throw-in.

“There’s no love lost between the two clubs,” Muscat said yesterday when it was pointed out that Adelaide will be looking to avenge last season’s loss in the elimination final.

“We have played some very important games against each other over the years. The last time we played them here was the elimination final.

“(Adelaide coach) Marco (Kurz) has done a fantastic job in relation to the way they play, they have improved structurally. They like to play a high energy game.

“So if that is what they bring to the contest tomorrow, and the way we are playing, then it looks like it will be an exciting game.”

All eyes will be on Victory marquee man Keisuke Honda, who has ripped up the A-League so far this season. He was dynamic against the Wanderers last week.

“Keisuke has very, very high standards and there is no doubt the others are thriving off what he does,” Muscat said. “He has been a breath of fresh air. The way he goes about his work is a huge lesson, especially for the younger players. Those standards he sets drags people along with him.”

Under Kurz, Adelaide have been going about the season in a quiet, methodical way.

The Reds are coming off a controversial 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar and will be without midfielder Stefan Mauk, who is serving a one-week suspension after being sent off in the second half. Kurz is confident his side can halt the Victory momentum.

“We are not the favourite in this game, but we saw last year (in the regular season) that we can beat them,” Kurz said. “We feel the rivalry between both teams and it is a special game for all of us.”

The German added he has no plans to try and nullify the impact of Honda.