While one half of Melbourne's A-League divide sweats on a possibly tide-turning derby result, it's business as usual at the champions.

A rotten result at Marvel Stadium for out-of-form Melbourne City could see supremos swing the axe on Warren Joyce's tenure after Saturday night's clash.

Down the road at Melbourne Victory, there's a calmness that comes from strong performances and the return of key players.

On Friday, coach Kevin Muscat all but guaranteed Keisuke Honda's first start in two months...

Central Coast coach Mike Mulvey admits the staff and players are embarrassed to walk around Gosford as they lurch towards another horror finish to the season. However, the Mariners will have one more shot at keeping the race to avoid the wooden spoon alive when they host ninth-placed Brisbane on Friday.

With eight games to go in the regular season, the A-League's perennial battlers can close the gap between them and the Roar to just three points with victory.

"It's actually quite embarrassing as...