The Newcastle Jets are poised to welcome skipper Brandon O'Neill back for what they have labelled a must-win game against Brisbane Roar at McDonald Jones Stadium on Tuesday night.
O'Neill missed last week's 4-0 loss to Sydney FC with a virus, but it is understood he will return to the starting line-up as Newcastle set about bridging the gulf between themselves and the top six.
While O'Neill's experience and leadership will bolster the Jets, they are expected to be without rookie midfielder Clayton Taylor, who suffered a corked leg in a controversial collision during the clash with Sydney.
With 14 rounds to play, Tuesday's showdown is effectively the halfway point in the season, and Newcastle are in 10th position, five points adrift of sixth-placed Sydney. But consecutive home fixtures against Brisbane, Wellington and Melbourne Victory give the Jets a chance to lift themselves back into the mix for a play-off berth.
"We're going into this like we have to win," Jets attacker Reno Piscopo said. "We can't lose, can't draw, and that's how we're thinking."
Picopo said the Jets were eager to "move on as quickly as possible" after last week's disappointing defeat, so the four-day gap between games would be beneficial.
"We've had some good performances and haven't gotten the results," he said.
"But this week is such a short turnaround that we can't dwell on it. We have to move forward. There's still plenty of games to go and we have to get as many wins as possible."
Brisbane beat Newcastle 3-2 last week, after a contentious penalty in injury time enabled the Roar to clinch three competition points.
Nine days later, Newcastle are eager to square the ledger against the team one rung and four points higher than them on the ladder.
"It's always better to play on our home ground in front of our home fans, and now we have to try and get as many points as we can here ... back-to-back wins, consecutive wins, that would help," Piscopo said.
Piscopo, who has endured an injury-disrupted season and was replaced at half-time against Sydney, has vowed to start putting his best foot forward.
"I want to pick up where I left off," he said. "I've had a few niggles this year. So now that I'm back I want to stay back and get my form again."
The Roar won't have loan signing Keegan Jelacic, who received a straight red card in last week's loss to Macarthur.
