There’s good news for Perth Glory fans with head coach Kenny Lowe confirming Johnny Warren medallist Diego Castro is a strong chance to feature in tonight’s match against Newcastle Jets.
After sustaining a calf injury three weeks ago Lowe spoke about the potential return of Castro as well as Andy Keogh and Andreu, the trio being the tonic the team needs.
“Diego’s a possibility to start,” he said.
“He’s probably 100% to be involved, but we’ll assess tomorrow to check there’s not been a delayed reaction to the three or four sessions that he’s done this week.
“Having the likes of those three around the training ground is great because they are good people who drive the standards and others look up to them.”
The free scoring Jets will head to nib Stadium full of confidence coupling their league-best 21 goals with a rich history of late goals in the west.
Never one to shy away, Lowe acknowledged the threat posed by Ernie Merrick’s second-placed side but remained focused on his squad.
“Obviously we know what Newcastle have got,” he said, “but the big focus is on ourselves doing what we do well.
“We’ve put in some very good defensive performances recently. We’ve worked ever so hard with the personnel that we’ve had available.”
Perth solidified its status as the A-League’s most inconsistent side this season after its 5-2 drubbing from Wellington was followed by an impressive 3-1 win at Melbourne City.
Lowe however pointed to the fact that although Glory are positioned outside the top six, it could potentially finish round 10 in the top four, a statistic he believes indicates how tight the competition is.
“It’s a tough league because there’s nothing between any of the teams,” he said.
“No-one has broken away at the bottom, Sydney have a little run on people at the moment at the top, but from second to second-last – it’s only a handful of points.
“So if you put a run together you fly up and if you don’t, you fly down.”
The Jets are set to welcome back the league’s top scorer Roy O’Donovan alongside influential midfielder Wayne Brown in a clash that Lowe has placed a high degree of importance on.
“No game is more important than the game tomorrow,” he said.
“We want to take the game to them at home and win it.”
Glory will have to be at its best to take all three points from an in-form Newcastle boasting the league’s best goal difference and a swagger reminiscent of the Jets of old.
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