Wellington Phoenix hope Cameron Devlin's lucky-charm effect can continue, when the young Australian midfielder makes his probable A-League starting debut against Melbourne Victory.
Devlin, 21, looks set to form half of Wellington's double pivot, alongside German Matti Steinmann, in Saturday's match at AAMI Park.
In-form All Whites international Alex Rufer suffered a knee injury in last week's 2-1 win over Western Sydney and looks unlikely to play, unless he passes a fitness test in comprehensive fashion.
Devlin has totalled 11 bench appearances - seven for Sydney FC last season and four in Wellington - and Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay believes the diminutive workaholic can show why he was an important early signing.
"We wanted versatile players," Talay says "Cameron can play as a 10 a little bit higher up the park and he can also play as a six, because he's technically good on the ball and he's an aggressive little player as well.
"I've known Cameron for a long time. When I was working with the Young Socceroos, he was in that set-up as well."
Unused off the bench as Wellington laboured through four losses to start their season, Devlin's debut for the Kiwi club came late in last month's 1-1 draw with Victory in Melbourne.
Since then he's made an impact in their three successive wins. Devlin's cameos at Sydney also resulted in six wins out of seven, impressing Talay, who was the assistant to Steve Corica.
Just as the fifth-placed Phoenix have turned their season around after a poor start, Talay said the 10th-placed Victory were just as capable of a revival, after largely stumbling so far under Marco Kurz.
"They've got a new coach as well and some players coming in, so it takes time to adapt and the coach to adapt to the environment as well," Talay said.
"They're always going to be a strong team, but we'll go with a plan to come back with the three points."
AAP
