Melbourne Victory is preparing for the latest challenge to their slim title hopes, facing a difficult Macarthur FC, as the A-League’s regular season draws nearer to a dramatic conclusion.

The spotlight will be entirely on Victory as they aim to defeat the Bulls in the biggest fixture of the 25th round, with the Victorians able to gain ground on both Western United and Melbourne City, who are both not set to play this weekend.

Arthur Papas’ Newcastle side hosts a huge F3 derby against Central Coast which could decide the fate of the Jets’ season.

Wellington is looking to bounce back from a dismal home return last week to solidify their place in the top six, as is Adelaide United who aims to down the all-but-confirmed wooden spooners, Perth Glory.

Macarthur FC hosts Melbourne Victory in the round’s opening game on Friday night, and the Bulls are desperate to cause an upset to advance their dreams of finals football.

The Campbelltown club fought their way into sixth place last weekend but, after a midweek 2-0 loss to Western United, find themselves no longer in a position of strength or security regarding a finals spot.

Victory is searching for another success to come within five points of league leaders Melbourne City with a game in hand, keeping their small premiership hopes alive in the process.

Newcastle Jets battle their rivals, Central Coast, in a high-stakes Saturday derby clash for both sides.

The Jets, after a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Wanderers on Wednesday, find themselves in a difficult predicament wherein they must defeat the Mariners to have any chance of finishing in the top six.

The Gosford outfit is in a much better position to feature in the finals series but still finds itself outside of the top six, making this a vital game for them as well.

Newcastle coach Arthur Papas assured that his side was concentrated on beating their rivals, rather than thinking about how it will impact their campaign.

“Regardless of the context, it’s going to be important to get a win in front of our fans in a derby match. That’s the most important part of that game and how it affects everything as we play out the remainder of the season will reveal itself as we go along,” Mr Papas said following their loss on Wednesday evening.

Wellington faces Western Sydney on Sunday afternoon in their second game on New Zealand soil, as they look to solidify their place in the top six.

The Phoenix, outside of the Victorian clubs, is in the best position to secure finals football but a staggering 0-4 home loss last week will have reminded them that nothing is guaranteed, making them even more motivated to defeat the Wanderers.

The Paramatta-based team still have a chance of reaching the top six and so will give their absolute all to ruin Wellington’s second game on home soil this term.

Adelaide United takes on Perth Glory at home on Sunday evening and the Reds, similarly to the Phoenix, are well-placed to ensure a finals spot.

The South Australians will go to 37 points, should they win, which looms as the points target to go out of range of most top six contenders.

Perth looks destined to finish with the wooden spoon but they still have a chance of avoiding it mathematically, making their game a must-win for their own pride.

Adelaide captain Craig Goodwin reinforced that his team needs to keep working hard to earn their place in the top six.

“The main thing is to make sure that myself and the boys…don’t take our foot off the pedal in these last three games because if we slip up once, we could find ourselves out of the top six, and we can’t afford to do that,” Goodwin said to media on Tuesday.

Melbourne City and Sydney FC are still occupied by their AFC Champions League commitments, while Western United and Brisbane are also not set to play this weekend.

Round 25 fixtures currently scheduled at time of publication

Macarthur FC-Melbourne Victory: 19.45, Campbelltown Stadium, Fri 22 Apr

Newcastle Jets-CC Mariners: 19.45, McDonald Jones Stadium, Sat 23 Apr

Wellington Phoenix-WS Wanderers: 13.05, Eden Park, Sun 24 Apr

Adelaide United-Perth Glory: 17.05, Coopers Sta