Western Sydney preparing for huge rivalry clash with Macarthur FC in a bid to restore their form

Western Sydney is set to go up against rivals Macarthur FC in a crucial contest as they strive to edge closer to the top of the ladder.

The Wanderers meet with the Bulls in the A-League’s tenth round and the Paramatta club will be eager to start the new year with maximum points after going three matches winless.

Western United is aiming to continue their hot run of form when they face Brisbane, while Melbourne Victory searches for a win against a challenging Central Coast side.

Arthur Papas’ Newcastle Jets is set to clash with a struggling Sydney FC hungry for a win after two disappointing losses.

Melbourne City makes the trip to take on Wellington Phoenix as they further their cause for another premiership, and Adelaide United battles Perth Glory as they still look for their first success since the league restart.

Western United hosts Brisbane in the round’s opening fixture on Friday evening and the Green and Black outfit are in fantastic spirits after managing two straight triumphs.

The Roar have proven to be a tricky proposition this campaign, having drawn five times and lost just once, suggesting that three points will not come easy for the defending champions.

Melbourne Victory travels to face Central Coast on Saturday evening and both sides will be keen on bagging the win after each succumbing to 1-0 losses last matchday.

The Dark Blues have more to prove following their defeat to rivals Western United who played most of the game with only ten players, with this contest presenting an excellent opportunity for the players to renew their confidence.

Newcastle competes with Sydney in the first game of the new year on Sunday afternoon, with the Jets hoping to build on a hugely positive result against Adelaide last round.

The Novocastrians will endeavour to extend the Sky Blues’ relatively poor form of late, though the Sydneysiders will take confidence in the return of players such as key midfielder Luke Brattan.

The Wanderers go head-to-head with Macarthur in a major match between second and third.

The Bulls can jump ahead of Western Sydney if they win, making the stakes even higher for their highly anticipated clash.

Melbourne City journeys down to play Wellington on Monday afternoon in what promises to be a tough assignment for the New Zealanders.

The Phoenix comes into this match fairly settled and in decent form which manager Ufuk Talay is particularly pleased with.

“The last three weeks we’ve kept the same team, we’ve had some consistency and I think that’s very important. Building partnerships alongside each other, which I think is very important as well,” Mr Talay said to media following their 1-1 draw with Perth last weekend.

Adelaide goes up against the Glory in the round’s final game on Monday evening and the Reds will be desperate to secure the win in front of their home faithful after a frustrating loss to the Jets.

The WA side is likewise also in need of a win as they continue to languish in bottom place, albeit only three points behind the teams directly ahead of them.

A-League round 10 fixtures (AEDT)

Western Utd-Brisbane Roar: 19.45, AAMI Park, Fri 30 Dec

CC Mariners-Melbourne Victory: 19.00, Industree Group Stadium, Sat 31 Dec

Newcastle Jets-Sydney FC: 15.00, McDonald Jones Stadium, Sun 01 Jan

WS Wanderers-Macarthur FC: 17.00, CommBank Stadium, Sun 01 Jan

Wellington Phoenix-Melbourne City: 13.00, Sky Stadium, Mon 02 Jan

Adelaide United-Perth Glory: 19.45, Coopers Stadium, Mon 02 Jan