Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar

One of the form teams of the A-League in Adelaide take on the defending champions, who are struggling desperately to find some rhythm to kick-start their season.

The Reds have really found their mojo under Spanish coach Josep Gombau this year and have lost only once – in that topsy-turvy game against Melbourne Victory when they scored two own goals. They put two past the hapless Asian champions Western Sydney last week and had their finishing been more clinical it could have been at least double that.

Brisbane went down to one of the softest penalties awarded this season against an equally out-of-sorts Melbourne City and are really battling to get back on track after sacking title-winning coach Mike Mulvey a quarter of the way through the season. Had Matt McKay's finishing been sharper, they could have been two up against City last week and that match could have had a very different outcome. It's hard to see them getting the better of the South Australians on Adelaide's turf, even if they will be desperate to send off departing skipper Matt Smith (who is moving to Thailand's Bangkok Glass) with a win. Adelaide for the three points.

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Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets

The second match in a Friday night double-header pits league leaders Perth Glory against stragglers Newcastle and on the form book it's hard to predict anything other than a Glory success.

The West Australians have lost once in nine rounds and have only dropped five points, while the Jets have yet to win a game anywhere and languish near the foot of the table with four points.

Worse still, there have been stories of players fighting at training in the Hunter Valley, while former Socceroo left back David Carney was hauled before club officials this week for a please explain after there were complaints about him swearing at fans following the latest reverse, a home loss to Wellington Phoenix last weekend.

Wellington Phoenix v Central Coast Mariners

Ernie Merrick's men are once again hitting their straps and have won the last two games impressively, albeit against struggling opposition in Melbourne City and Newcastle Jets.

The Kiwis put five past John van 't Schip's side in a ritual disembowelling in Wellington and then came from behind to put further pressure on Phil Stubbins to beat his Jets team last weekend.

Nathan Burns and Roy Krishna are in fine form up front, and with home advantage against the indifferent Mariners they should be far too good.

Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC

The glamour game of the round pits the unbeaten Melbourne Victory – the only team in the competition to remain with that status – against Graham Arnold's sky blues, who lost for the first time last week against Perth Glory.

The last time these sides met was only a few weeks ago, and Victory had several first-choice players missing through injury and national team call-ups. Yet Kevin Muscat's side was good enough to get a point away from home in one of the competition's rare goalless draws this season.

Gui Finkler missed Victory's win over the Mariners last week and continues to be monitored, while French centre back Matthieu Delpierre is another absentee. Sydney are without Corey Gameiro and Ali Abbas for the whole season.

Nevertheless, Sydney are tough, well-organised and have proved themselves hard to beat and capable of taking their chances in most games. Arnold's men have won at AAMI Park already this season, having seen off Melbourne City. But they will find the navy blues a much tougher proposition and its hard to see them getting anything more than a point here – if that.