Melbourne Victory's loss to Perth Glory in Wednesday night's FFA Cup quarter final has left coach Kevin Muscat with a litter of battered bodies and a squad further depleted for Monday's A-League clash with Wellington following the injuries and red cards to two of his players in the knockout tie.
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Victory will take on former coach Ernie Merrick's Phoenix team missing key striker Besart Berisha and defensive lynchpin Matthieu Delpierre, both of whom limped off during the game, which Perth won 4-2 in extra time against the undermanned Victorian side.
Veteran forward Archie Thompson was a late withdrawal before the warm-up after he complained of feeling unwell, and he also has to be a doubt for the Cup eve match at AAMI Park.
Also missing from the game will be suspended duo, centre-back Adrian Leijer and full-back Daniel Georgievski, after both received two yellow cards in extra time.
"Its going to be very difficult and will really test our depth. Berisha and Matthieu you would have to say probably have very little chance of being there on Monday, and Leijer and Georgievski definitely won't be because of the sending off," Muscat said.
"We will get home, get the two of them to have MRIs, and once we have seen the results of the scans it will be a bit clearer.
"They are big players to lose. Berisha has been scoring goals and been excellent, Matthieu has been a class act at the back."
Muscat will now have to have a major rethink about his line-up on Monday, especially as another defender with first-team experience, Jason Geria, remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
Most likely he will have to put together a makeshift defence, with Scott Galloway at right back and another youngster Dylan Murnane on the left flank, with two midfielders, Mark Milligan and Leigh Broxham, dropping back to play in the middle in place of Delpierre and Leijer.
A first choice centre-back from last season, Nick Ansell, is still trying to get fit enough to play, having missed the start of the season through injury.
Carl Valeri can come back into midfield having been rested from this match, with Rashid Mahazi slotting in alongside and behind Gui Finkler.
Conor Pain didn't travel to WA as he felt ill, and he could be an option to come in up front, but more likely it is Tunisian Fahid Ben Khalfallah - who scored Victory's opening goal in Perth - who could be used in a central role in Berisha's stead if Thompson is unable to play.
