Few would argue they're the A-League's big improvers but rookies Western Sydney plan to show just how far they've come in their New Year's blockbuster against Melbourne Victory.
The sides last met in November and the Victory triumphed 2-0 away from home, despite playing most of the match with 10 men after defender Sam Gallagher was shown a red card.
Both sides have hit form since, and few would have predicted their re-match at Parramatta Stadium on Tuesday night would be top-four clash.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic felt his rookie side showed its inexperience in the first meeting of the teams but vowed there would be no repeat on Tuesday.
"We've improved a lot since then," Popovic said on Monday.
"It was a unique circumstance for us, playing against 10 men so early, and possibly we weren't prepared for something like that," Popovic said.
"... We got punished on that day and we learned a lot from that match and since then we've shown a gradual improvement.
"We're hoping tomorrow we can show that out on the pitch."
With 10 points each from their past five matches, both the fourth-placed Wanderers and third-placed Victory are closing the gap on competition pacesetters Central Coast and Adelaide.
While Western Sydney hit their attacking stride in a 6-1 thrashing of Adelaide in their last home match, they'll face the league's best offensive side in Ange Postecoglou's Victory.
And there's no bigger threat than New Zealand sensation Marco Rojas, the league's form player, whose spectacular double strike steered Melbourne to a 3-2 win over Newcastle on Friday.
"He's on fire at the moment," Wanderers captain Michael Beauchamp said of Rojas, dubbed by some pundits as the 'Kiwi Messi'.
"He did well the first game against us and he's got so much confidence now."
Western Sydney will welcome back their own biggest weapon, Japanese playmaker Shinji Ono, after he was one of a handful of players rested in Thursday's 1-1 draw away to Perth Glory.
But they'll be without Aaron Mooy (suspension), Adam D'Apuzzo (calf) and Tahj Minniecon (foot).
Captain and central defender Beauchamp was rewarded for a strong season with a one-year contract extension on Monday.
It followed the recent re-signings of goalkeeper Ante Covic and midfielder Mateo Poljak and Popovic hoped his squad for 2013/14 would continue to take shape in coming weeks.
"Last year we signed our first players in June and this year we realise we can't wait that long," Popovic said.
"We've got to start planning ahead for next year and the years to come after that."
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