Melbourne City FC will host Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park for the second time this season when the two teams meet at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
It’s shaping up to be a huge night when two of the top teams on the table face off. Click here to get your tickets!
A potential lift of the Premiers Plate
There’s been plenty of build-up to this moment, but after our point on the weekend and subsequent results around the league, we’re ecstatic to say that with a win on Saturday night, the City boys can claim the Club’s first-ever Premiers Plate.
𝘞𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 🍽#CmonCity | 🎟 https://t.co/f0HxtrU7X2 pic.twitter.com/AvmR72vJ2h
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) May 17, 2021
Perhaps the perfect circumstances for the occasion, City will be vying for that crucial win at AAMI Park against the Central Coast Mariners, the same venue and opponent as when we played our very first game in the 2010/11 season.
To further the narrative, Rostyn Griffiths and Oliver Bozanic, who both featured for the Mariners in that August 2010 clash, could potentially line up on opposite sides of the field nearly 11 years on from that historic night for the Club.
Prime time at AAMI
Whilst we’re sure that you won’t be needing any additional motivation to get down to witness what could be one of the greatest nights in Club history, your attendance will certainly be aided by the prime time slot that the game occupies.
With kick-off set to take place at 7:10pm on Saturday, we can’t think of a better time to be watching City’s football, let alone at the magnificent AAMI Park which will look even better when it’s flooded with City blue on the night.
More records within reach for Maclaren
He’s a man very much used to rewriting the record books at this stage, and Jamie Maclaren could be keeping the historians busy again over the coming weeks as he closes in on two significant goalscoring records.
What a free kick from Jamie Maclaren.@FOXFOOTBALL#CmonCity | #MCYvWEL | #ALeague pic.twitter.com/ROmWWvRA4i
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) May 16, 2021
Having already surpassed his season total from 2019/20, Maclaren is currently equal with Bruno Fornaroli’s club-record 25 goals in a single campaign from the 2015/16 season, with City’s current number nine looking extremely likely to be bettering that soon.
Similarly, Maclaren looks on-pace to at least reach the league-wide record of 27 goals, set by Sydney FC’s Bobo in 2017/18.
With the way he’s been scoring goals this campaign, we certainly wouldn’t bet against Maclaren holding both of those records by the season’s end.
Our stars will be fresh following a week off
With our heavily-rotated squad securing a point against Wellington last Sunday, the side is expected to be back at full-strength for our highly-anticipated clash with Mariners this weekend.
Whilst Craig Noone still played the second half against the Phoenix, with Jamie Maclaren also making an important late-game cameo, the attacking pair will be eager to face the Mariners from kick-off on Saturday.
Scott Jamieson is also likely to return to the starting lineup for what will be his 101st – and hopefully most significant – appearance for the Club on Saturday, whilst Curtis Good’s half-time substitution ensures that he too will be fresh for the Mariners clash.
Another chance to witness the rise of Marco Tilio
Having arrived at City over the off-season in 2020, 19-year-old Marco Tilio has well and truly exploded onto the A-League scene, making 16 appearances – including four starts – and recording one goal and four assists in just 490 on-field minutes.
How impressive has this guy been this season?
💪 Marco Tilio is tonight's @BulkNutrients Player of the Match.#CmonCity | #MCYvWEL | #ALeague pic.twitter.com/Vc3gut73WD
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) May 16, 2021
The youngster has been influential in some of City’s recent results – including setting up Naoki Tsubaki’s initial equaliser against Wellington on Sunday, scoring the winner against the same opposition earlier in the season and assisting twice in the 7-0 demolition Derby at AAMI.
With Andrew Nabbout currently sidelined by injury, the Mariners clash could represent another opportunity for Tilio to continue his run of incredible form, with a big performance from the youngster likely to be a big factor in our chances of lifting the Plate on Sunday.
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