Melbourne City captain Scott Jamieson has stoked the fire before a likely A-League finals derby with Melbourne Victory, declaring them City's ideal opponents.
A ferocious Friday night finals showdown at AAMI Park is on the cards with Victory locked in third place and City likely to finish sixth.
The result would be a slice of good fortune for Warren Joyce's side, set to record their worst finish since transforming from Melbourne Heart to Melbourne City, but spared a daunting trip interstate by Victory's third-place finish.
City's results show just how important that could be.
At AAMI Park, they're on a 12-game unbeaten run dating back to November.
On the road, they've lost eight games in that stretch.
And City are unbeaten in three meetings with Victory this season, prompting teammate Luke Brattan to remind their crosstown rivals that City has "the mental edge" over last year's champions.
Jamieson said City would be up for the occasion.
"The bigger the challenge, the more I want. I want Melbourne Victory," he said.
"I want to play Victory. The team wants to play Victory.
"They're a team that brings out the best in us.
"We match up really well against them.
"It's the best way to answer a lot of critics is take on the previous champions ... they're our biggest rivals and its something for the fans to get really excited about."
While you can understand City's excitement for the occasion, it's yet to be locked in.
City could yet finish fifth by beating wooden spooners Central Coast on Friday, and premiers Perth Glory defeating Wellington Phoenix on Sunday, with a goal difference swing of seven.
That result would send City to Adelaide and Mark Rudan's Phoenix to AAMI Park to face Victory instead.
Jamieson - who will return against the Mariners after a month out with a broken toe - said City's first mission was to build momentum for the finals by putting the Mariners to the sword.
"That's been our achilles heel. When it comes to the teams near the bottom we haven't performed as good as we should have," he said.
We've done really well against Melbourne Victory, unfortunately not against Central Coast. That's the first challenge, to break that hoodoo.
"If I'm really honest I want us to win well this weekend but I want us to play Victory."
Australian Associated Press
