Tokyo Olympian Tom Glover’s ordinary form is likely to cost him Melbourne City’s goalkeeper’s spot on Wednesday night when the A-League champions host Macarthur FC at AAMI Park.
City’s deputy gloveman Matt Sutton had been named in City’s starting side at Glover’s expense last Sunday just hours before the Melbourne club was due to meet Wellington at Leichhardt Oval.
However, a waterlogged pitch led to the match being postponed.
When asked on Tuesday if Sutton would again be named ahead of Glover, City coach Patrick Kisnorbo would not confirm who would play on Wednesday night.
“I’ll have to make that decision after training,” Kisnorbo said.
“Like everyone else in the squad, everyone has a chance and Sutton’s no different.
“We’ll see how training goes, but he would have started against Wellington if the game went ahead.
“I wanted to have a look and give Sutton a chance. I went with what I felt, and that’s why I chose that.”
Sutton, who turned 22 on Monday, has made one A-League appearance.
It came in City’s 3-0 away loss to Brisbane Roar in May last year when Kisnorbo rested a host of players as his side had already clinched the premiership.
However, should Glover miss selection on Wednesday night, as expected, it won’t be a matter of him being rested.
The 24-year-old custodian’s form is down compared with his performances last season.
Glover, who was Australia’s gxjmtzywoalkeeper at last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, was at least partly to blame for both of Perth’s goals in second-placed City’s last-start 2-2 home draw with the Glory last Wednesday.
And with City having a busy schedule between now and the end of the season due to A-League and AFC Champions League commitments, Kisnorbo is perhaps keen to give Sutton some game time to ensure he’s properly prepared if called upon at the business end of City’s campaign.
While Kisnorbo would not reveal who would be his goalkeeper on Wednesday night, the City coach did confirm that Socceroos attacker Mathew Leckie would be sidelined with an adductor injury he suffered last week against the Glory.
“He’s improving which is great news, but … he won’t be ready for (Wednesday’s) game,” Kisnorbo said.
