Tuesday: Advantage Melbourne

News just in says:

Blockbuster will be at SFS

The highly anticipated Hyundai A-League blockbuster between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory will be played at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday 14 February (5pm kick-off).

Sydney FC has been working closely with the Sydney Football Stadium and Football Federation Australia (FFA) and all parties are satisfied the pitch will be to the standard required to host the Hyundai A-League match.

Given Melbourne are used to playing on a Dome surface often wrecked by Concerts and AFL surely the ascendency is with the Victory.

More seriously, Melbourne will be tested without Archie and Kevin Muscat, but in Marvin Angulo, Carlos Hernandez, and Robbie Kruse they are perhaps the more inventive upfront.

Sydney don't have that many goals in them, but the much criticised forward line of John Aloisi and Alex Brosque need to perform and convert.

Sydney's defence is it's highlight we're told, but angled balls re: Taj Minniecon for the Gold Coast winner, Matt Thompson for the Jobe Wheelhouse strike, and McGarry's miss on the weekend show a defence who although having played together most of the season can easily give up very soft chances, particularly if you have someone who can thread a pass. Melbourne have that.

Nik Mrdja is not Archie Thompson but I'd give Melbourne the nod in attack.

However Matt Kemp and Muscat are gone, which means the Victory defence will be sorely exposed, or could be if Karol Kisel and Steve Corica can release Alex Brosque.

I still hate Terry McFlynn turning in from the left and neither Sydney full back has shown real quality in attack all season.

That said if Evan Berger replaces Kemp, The Cove fans should expect to field his crosses all afternoon! Similarly the boy Broxham is hardly the world's best provider if he starts at right back.

It will be tight, or should be, but I'm predicting a goalfest. 3-2 to Sydney.

But it's still Tuesday so I reserve the right to change my mind!