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Victory desperate to end A-L losing streak

3 minute read

Interim coach Grant Brebner says Melbourne Victory need to start turning promise into A-League results - starting with Monday night's clash with Central Coast.

Victory interim Head Coach, GRANT BREBNER.
Victory interim Head Coach, GRANT BREBNER. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Melbourne Victory interim coach Grant Brebner says Monday night's clash with Central Coast is a must-win as his team attempts to salvage positives from a difficult A-League season.

Tenth-placed Victory lost 2-1 to both Western United and Brisbane Roar 2-1 in a promising but fruitless beginning to their season restart, while the Mariners recorded one loss and two draws from their three games.

"While we're performing well, it's a results-based industry and we need to start getting results," Brebner told reporters on Sunday.

"So there's three games to go - we're not treating this as a fizzer, fizzling out the season, we're treating this as a game that we still need to win for many, many reasons.

"So you saw in our two games that we are running out games, we are desperate to win these games and tomorrow night will be no different."

Victory will rest young centre-back Aaron Anderson after two promising starts, while Adama Traore and Birkan Kirdar trained this week after knocks but will have to prove their fitness.

If Traore doesn't come up for the game at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, So Nishikawa will make his starting debut at left-back.

While keen to give young players opportunities, Brebner emphasised he wouldn't hand out games for the sake of it.

He put the onus on his team to start delivering results with three games left in their season.

"We don't want to be living on other people's success at this football club," he said.

"The club is a big club but tomorrow night we need to actually show it on the pitch, and the players need to continually keep showing how much it means to them to play - otherwise they won't."

The game is Central Coast's final appearance of the campaign and while they will finish as wooden-spooners, Alen Stajcic's men have been competitive since the restart and will be keen to finish on a high note.

STATS THAT MATTER

* Victory have lost their past four A-League games, they have never lost give in a row.

* The Mariners defeated Victory 3-2 in their most recent A-League meeting and are aiming to secure back-to-back wins over them for the first time since 2013.

* Central Coast's Matt Simon has scored nine goals in his A-League career against Victory - his most against any opposition - including three goals in his past two games against them.

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