Football
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Melbourne City's Kevin Muscat ready for a dogfight with Sydney FC

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat expects Sydney FC to bring the brawn in Friday night's Big Blue and predicts the A-League leaders will target in-form stars Marco Rojas and James Troisi.

Just as this season's previous two meetings were packed with animosity and controversy, Muscat anticipates the Sky Blues will turn this defining top-of-the-table blockbuster into a "dogfight" at Allianz Stadium.

And he vowed they will fight muscle with muscle if that's what's required to stop Graham Arnold's runaway leaders all but confirming the Premiers' Plate is theirs.

Victory are eight points adrift in second and must stop Sydney widening the gap to 11 if they're any hope of upsetting the table's status quo in the remaining five games thereafter.

"Both games this season have ended up 2-1 ... we've taken the lead in both those games," Muscat said.

"We know we're capable of scoring and playing well against them."

Muscat's main concern was Rojas and Troisi, who he said had been physically preyed because of their excellent form and urged referees to protect them.

"Particularly Marco, the treatment he's getting in recent weeks because of his form - it's the easiest way to nullify [him]," he said.

"He's been tremendous in avoiding injury and tackles, but it's certainly something we've noticed creeping in the last three or four weeks.

"Sometimes it's unavoidable. When players are being kicked and fouled repetitively something's got to be done [by match officials].

"Without doubt [Sydney will target them]. They've been like that all year.

"The two previous games have just turned into a dogfight against Sydney. Sydney prefer it that way, Sydney want it that way.

"Even though we're away from home we'll try and play through that and see where it takes us."

Muscat has recalled Fahid Ben Khalfallah to the extended squad but declined to say whether he would play the 34-year-old winger, who has been a notable absentee, reportedly to avoid triggering a games clause in his contract that would trigger another year.

"We don't discuss contracts, so I think it would be disrespectful to any individuals we're talking about," he said.

"Everything is dictated by what happens out on the training pitch, and Fahid has trained really well this week.

"We concentrate and isolate individuals, but in all this Jai [Ingham] has performed pretty well in the last couple of weeks."

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