Western Sydney Wanderers begin life post-Markus Babbel with a must-win clash against Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Sunday to drop the curtain on Round 17.
Babbel was shown the door at Western Sydney after their 1-0 loss to Perth Glory in Round 15, with assistant Jean Paul de Marigny taking temporary charge.
And the new man has had two full weeks – thanks to last weekend’s bye – to try and work out a way to salvage the Wanderers’ season.
The Red and Black are currently ninth on the ladder, six points outside the top six having picked up just one win from their last 11 Hyundai A-League matches.
While the Mariners have shown some positive signs under Alen Stajcic this season, it’s been a case of one step forward, then two back for the men from Gosford.
After their amazing win over Melbourne Victory on January 12, the Mariners have lost to Western United FC and Brisbane Roar to lost ground on the top six.
They did defeat the Wanderers 3-1 the last time the two clubs met at Central Coast Stadium (20 April, 2019), but that ended a run of five consecutive defeats against the Western Sydney on home turf.
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Sunday, 2 February 2020
Kick-off: 4pm AEDT
Venue: Central Coast Stadium
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
ROUND 17: How to watch Hyundai A-League Round 17
ROUND 16: Who made the Team of the Week?
Ways to watch
Download the MyFootball Live App now
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How to follow the action
Match centre: Live updates, videos and statistics
Follow @ALeague on Twitter and join the conversation using #CCMvWSW #ALeague
Team news
To be confirmed on Thursday.
Did you know?
- Western Sydney Wanderers have lost only three of their last 17 Hyundai A-League matches against the Central Coast Mariners (W10, D4), one of those three defeats did come in their most recent meeting at Central Coast Stadium though (3-1, 20 April 2019).
- The Mariners have won four of their last eight Hyundai A-League home games (D1, L3), keeping just a single clean sheet in that period (24 November 2019 v Western United FC).
- Wanderers players have been dribbled past by the opposition an average of 11.9 times per game in the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season, the most of any side.
- Mariners keeper Mark Birighitti - who makes his 100th appearance in the competition this weekend - has made 59 saves in the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season, the most of any goalkeeper and seven more than the next best (Paul Izzo – 52).
