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Sydney FC can jump into second on the A-League table with a win against struggling rivals Melbourne Victory.

Sydney FC regard their clash with cellar-dwellers Melbourne Victory as a must-win as the reigning champions attempt to keep pace at the top of the A-League table.

Fourth-placed Sydney drew with Central Coast Mariners on Saturday and face Victory on Tuesday and Western Sydney five days later in two games crucial to moving up the table.

Sydney (28 points, +7 goal difference) are unbeaten in five but have drawn their past three games and sit four points behind top-placed Melbourne City.

They can, at least temporarily, leapfrog both the Mariners (31 points, +7 goal difference) and Adelaide (30) into second place with a win over Victory.

"We need to win this game first and foremost against a team (that's) obviously, closer to the bottom, but they had a good result against the Wanderers the other night, they got an important win," coach Steve Corica said.

"We need three points to stay up near the top.

"... the boys are quite used to playing every couple of days now.

"It's good to get back (quickly) after the Central Coast game ... we want to get a win and this is a good opportunity for us to do that."

Victory snared a 5-4 win over Western Sydney in their first game under interim coach Steve Kean and Corica was wary of the new-boss bounce continuing.

Sydney will regain Rhyan Grant from a one-match ban, but Victory defender Adama Traore remains suspended, while Robbie Kruse, Callum McManaman and Jake Brimmer miss through yellow-card accumulation suspensions.

Ryan Shotton (knee) and Marco Rojas (broken leg) are also still sidelined.

"We lose a lot of experience but there's now opportunities for young lads," Kean said.

"When these games are coming so thick and fast there's opportunities for young guys to show and to shine and make an impression with everybody watching.

"They are also playing for their future."

STATS THAT MATTER

* Sydney have won their past six games against Victory

* Kosta Barbarouses has scored six goals this season while Bobo has also landed six

* Victory's Ben Folami scored two goals against Western Sydney after failing to score in his previous nine outings.