Patrick Kisnorbo

Melbourne Victory coach Patrick Kisnorbo. Photo: Marcus Robertson/Round Ball Australia

Melbourne Victory boss Patrick Kisnorbo will aim to exact revenge for his side’s Australia Cup final defeat when they meet Macarthur on Sunday afternoon.

Despite dominating the stats sheet with 22 shots to six and 66 per cent possession, Victory left the door ajar for the Bulls to capitalise at AAMI Park in a disappointing 1-0 defeat in late September.

Yet Victory hasn’t let that moment get the best of them, claiming a point in Gosford with 10-men for the last half-an-hour and an impressive 3-1 derby win over City.

Now with a massive test looming large in an Australia Cup final rematch, Victory will focus on what they can control.

“It was one of those one-off games and it happens. Credit to [Macarthur], they won it, but for us now it’s just concentrating and seeing what we can do for Sunday,” Kisnorbo said.

“I learned more from us [in the Australia Cup final] in the chances we created, so I think we have to keep improving our game to get better.

In the final, Mile Sterjovski set his Macarthur side up to defend deep and hit on the counter without their star man in Valère Germain, converting their sole shot on target.

Kisnorbo said that he was unsure whether Macarthur would deploy a similar structure even with the return of their captain in Germain, but that his side is ready to go up front.

“We have some attacking options. What will happen on Sunday and who will play, we don’t know yet. Everyone is available to be selected.”

Winger Daniel Arzani is part of that selection discussion after controversially being left out of the squad in the Cup final, with Kisnorbo referring to the bold move as a “professional” decision.

One player beginning to blossom in navy blue is Greek striker Nikos Vergos, who is finding his feet after registering a goal in last weekend’s derby.

The 28-year-old received the starting nod in the Cup final, but since then it has proved to be an intriguing tussle for the number nine role with last season’s Golden Boot runner-up, Bruno Fornaroli.

“I think what I’ve said a lot is [that] it takes time for foreign players. Just because he scored doesn’t mean he stops,” Kisnorbo said when referring to Vergos.

“Competition is one thing, but he needs to continue that. There’s an adjustment with everyone that comes into a new team and a new coach. We just have to continue to keep working.”

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