Soccer: Phoenix tussle for home advantage in play-offs

Manny Muscat will be back on deck for the Phoenix tonight after his one-match suspension. Photo / Getty Images

Two teams coming off losses but still in the top three and jostling for play-off home advantage face off tonight.

By the quirk of the draw, Central Coast Mariners and the Wellington Phoenix have not met since November 4 when the Mariners won 2-1 - two matches into what was to become a 15-match unbeaten streak.

It has always been close between the two sides, with Graham Arnold and Ricki Herbert recognised as two of the more astute coaches in the Hyundai A-League.

The Mariners, with six, have won one more than the Phoenix, with two drawn. They meet for the third time on the last day of the season with the Phoenix as hosts.

The Mariners have lost their past two since that club-record unbeaten run, going down to Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, while the Phoenix have to bounce back from last Sunday's home loss to the Roar in a game which has had repercussions for Herbert and his team.

In having Tim Brown and Andrew Durante controversially booked late in the match by referee Jared Gillett, the Phoenix are now without their vice-captain and captain for tonight's crucial game.

Ben Sigmund would be a popular choice if Herbert handed him the armband. Chris Greenacre, who is also the team's assistant coach, is another possibility.

On the plus side, the Phoenix have Manny Muscat back after his one-match suspension. Herbert must decide whether to play Muscat in his regular right back role or leave Vinnie Lia there and push Muscat into Brown's spot in midfield. That would open the way for Brent Griffiths to slot into Durante's central defensive spot alongside Sigmund.

Nicky Ward is over his hamstring injury and set to join Mirjan Pavlovic on the bench.

The Mariners too are playing shuffle the pack, with Trent Sainsbury and Sam Gallagher suspended and Mathew Ryan, Oliver Bozanic and Mustafa Amini on international under-23 duty.

Matt Simon, who scored the opening goal in the team's earlier clash this season, has left and it is likely Englishman John Sutton, who has made his way to the Gosford-based club via Scottish Premier League club Hearts, will get a debut run tonight.

The Phoenix must bounce back from that sometimes hesitant effort against the Roar if they are to be in to win tonight. No longer can they point to their awful away record as a reason for losing, given that they have beaten Adelaide United, Newcastle Jets and Gold Coast United on their past three transtasman crossings.

In Paul Ifill, the Phoenix have a player capable of turning any match. He was missing in action for long periods against the Roar and will want to prove he is still capable of being a match-winner.

In a sensational development at Skilled Park, Gold Coast United boss Clive Palmer has stood down long-serving coach Miron Bleiberg on the back of remarks made after the club's decision to appoint 17-year-old Mitch Cooper as captain for last night's match against Melbourne Heart.

Bleiberg was forced to hand the reins over to his assistant, Mike Mulvey, for last night's game but will return to his coaching duties on Wednesday.

Mariners v Phoenix

Bluetongue Stadium
Tonight 7.30 (live SS3)
Referee: Strebre Delovski.