Reds prepared for City backlash

Such is the standard City have set for the A-League leaders, back-to-back draws – including a stalemate in which the competition’s top side were held scoreless for the first time this season – have been a problem. unexpected.

Likewise, star striker Jamie Maclaren’s two-game scoreless streak has almost come as a shock after scoring 13 times in City’s first 10 games.

The suggestions are that City and Maclaren are due, and it’s the Reds in the line of fire on Sunday.

“They’ll want to bounce back,” Veart said.

“They’ve had a few games lost over the past few weeks.

“They’re a quality team, so we expect another City side that will come out with a lot more goal, so it’s important that we stay focused and keep our discipline, and have that belief, and that we go there and get the three points.”

Veart said City remained “by far the best team in the league”.

“When you look at the season so far… they’re the only team that’s been very consistent and played great football so far this year,” he said.

“It will be a big test for our group, but I’m sure we can match them.”

The Reds trail City by eight points, with Veart claiming his side are not “where we want to be” halfway through the season.

“We’ve had a mixed performance,” said Veart, who has also lamented players being sent off in five games this season.

“The biggest Achilles’ heel we had was that we played too many games with 10 men, which made things very difficult for the group of players.

“The squad had a good discussion about it because we can’t continue like we did in the first half of the season.

“We need all our players on the pitch to achieve positive results. We enter the second half of the season with the belief that if we play our football and keep our discipline, we will reach the final at the end of the season. .

City manager Rado Vidosic was unconcerned by his side’s failure to score in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Brisbane Roar at Kayo Stadium

“It was one of the very few games where we didn’t score a goal,” Vidosic said.

“It was just one of those days when things didn’t go to the right place at night.”