Following a couple of disappointing results in its last couple of fixtures, Melbourne City FC will be hoping to bounce back and secure an important three points when it takes on Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
Uruguayan midfielder Adrian Luna has been one of City’s most impressive players through the first five games of its season.
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 '𝑪'.
Nooney and Luna combine for the opener away from home!
📽 @FOXFOOTBALL#CmonCity #CCMvMCY #ALeague pic.twitter.com/a7en9AfJJ3
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) February 3, 2021
For Newcastle, Olyroo Angus Thurgate has also enjoyed a good start to the season and will be one of the most important players if the home side are to record a win on Sunday.
Luna has played all but one of City’s games this season after he was sent off after receiving a second yellow back in Round 1 against Brisbane.
Thurgate has played and started all six of the Jets’ games so far and has played a total of 165 more minutes than Luna – almost two full matches.
Being more attacking-minded players, neither do a heap of tackling but Luna does boast a strong win rate of 75% compared to Thurgate’s 46%.
Both players make a similar number of passes per 90 minutes at just under 40, but Thurgate has been a little more accurate in the early stages of the season – finding a teammate 83% of the time compared to Luna who has a completion rate of 77%.
That being said Luna has definitely been the more creative of the two and has made eight key passes which is three more than Thurgate, of course in far less playing time too.
Luna has shot six times this season and found the back of the net once, scoring the opener against Central Coast with a classy finish following a good ball from Craig Noone.
Thurgate is yet to get on the scoresheet this season and has shot twice on target from seven total attempts.
