Popovic tackles selection quandary

Play it safe or go full bore with Diego Castro and Matthew Spiranovic?

Diego Castro’s participation in tonight’s A-League clash against Adelaide is in doubt. Picture: AAP

Play it safe or go full bore with Diego Castro and Matthew Spiranovic? That’s the question facing Perth Glory coach Tony Popovic ahead of tonight’s clash with Adelaide United at HBF Park.

The veteran coach has been particularly cautious with Castro and Spiranovic following the duo’s injury struggles over the past year.

Popovic said he was yet to decide on his squad for the clash with Adelaide, but said players’ histories would be taken into account.

“Certain players who are coming off injuries are not at the same level as someone who has played every game,” Popovic said.

Adelaide will be without suspended defender Michael Jakobsen after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in last week’s 2-1 win over Western Sydney. Glory, who have lost just once in 14 games this season, are three points clear on top of the table.

Sixth-placed Adelaide are 11 points further adrift, and Popovic has put his team on guard for star United midfielder Isaias Sanchez.

“He’s an outstanding player and he’ll always have his moments in a game — like Diego would for us,” Popovic said. “Our job is to try to keep him busy defending (so there’s) less time for him to create opportunities for his teammates.”

Newcastle striker Kaine Sheppard has set his sights on playing himself into the starting line-up after securing a one-year extension with the A-League club.

The Jets announced Sheppard had signed for another year before tonight’s clash with Central Coast Mariners at McDonald Jones Stadium. The 25-year-old has scored two goals and tallied two assists in 10 games so far this season, and it was enough to earn a new deal from coach Ernie Merrick.

“It was my goal to prove myself, help the team and try and get a new contract,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard is likely to come off the bench again in the derby with a Mariners outfit battling health and form. Skipper Matt Simon won’t play after picking up his fifth yellow card last week, while Jake McGing (leg) has joined Tommy Oar (hamstring) in the stands.

While the Mariners are languishing in last place, the seventh-placed Jets are beginning to drift away from the top six. They are 10 points behind sixth-placed Adelaide at the halfway mark.

Wellington Phoenix will play Sydney FC in today’s blockbuster at Westpac Stadium. The best performance of Wellington’s season was arguably their 3-1 dismantling of Sydney FC in round seven.

Steve Corica’s men have won six of seven matches since to be third, four points off the lead and six clear of fifth-placed Phoenix.

Corica is rotating his squad to cope with the schedule and should be boosted by the return to fitness of Milos Ninkovic (illness) and Paulo Retre (groin).

AAP