The A-League finals are upon us, and the league’s two most prolific attacks will go head to head in the second elimination final at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Sunday. Melbourne City and Perth Glory will fight it out in a sudden-death encounter just two weeks after Glory defeated City 3-2 in Perth in their round 26 league match.

On that occasion, Perth Glory’s Diego Castro and Andy Keogh proved irresistible, while defender Shane Lowry and company kept a tight rein on City’s prolific attack until late in the game, when City pulled back two goals to give the home team some nervous moments.

It was the first of two successive losses for Melbourne City, whose season promised so much just two weeks ago but which now finds itself fighting for finals survival against an opponent which, apart from last week’s heavy away loss to Sydney FC, has been the League’s most consistent team in the second half of the season. Compounding City’s difficulties is the absence of key forward Harry Novillo, suspended for lashing out in last week’s fiery loss to Adelaide United.

In contrast, the Glory welcomes back into its line-up a rested Diego Castro and pacey forward Chris Harold for the clash against City.

Past encounters suggest a high-scoring match, with meetings between both sides producing an average of 4.75 goals per game this season.

With Novillo’s absence, City’s attack will rely more heavily on Bruno Fornaroli and Aaron Mooy. If Glory midfielder Krisztian Vadocz can minimize Mooy’s effectiveness as he did in Perth just two weeks ago, then Fornaroli may become isolated.

Aaron Hughes comes back into the City squad to bolster his team’s defence, which will have the tough job of smothering Glory’s sharpshooters.

A loss to City could draw a curtain on several careers at Melbourne City including Mooy, who is keen on a move to Europe next season. A loss would also bring into question coach John Van’ t Schip’s future at the club.

It should make for a weekend of tense, exciting finals football.

On Friday night Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory played the first A-League elimination final in Brisbane, the results of which were unavailable at the time of going to print.