The Wellington Phoenix are prepared to throw the kitchen sink in their match against Western United tomorrow night, with the game shaping as maybe their most important of the season to date.
The Phoenix are in ninth place on the ladder, but can move within one point of the top six and a finals spot with victory tomorrow.
It is essentially a six-point game, given Western United currently sit two points above them, and coach Ufuk Talay said despite the congested schedule - where they play three games in seven days - he would try and field his best team.
"It might be one where we have to take the risk because we need the three points and once we win the game we can look forward and make decisions after that.
"If we win we go one point above them and we go even closer to the top six. If we need to risk players to get the outcome that we need we might need to go down that path."
The Phoenix have been on a good run, winning their past two games, including a 3-2 thriller over tomorrow's opponents.
Five games remain in the regular season, with two expected to be played back in New Zealand, and Talay said home support could be crucial to a finals push.
"I think the players deserve it, I think the fans deserve it as well," Talay said of the inevitable return home.
"We’re pushing for a top six spot and hopefully when we do get those games back in New Zealand we’ll have a lot of support to push the boys."
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