A CAPACITY crowd of 43,000 is set to watch the first Sydney derby of the 2014-15 A-League season.
The blockbuster between Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night is likely to be a sell-out.
The match has been given added lustre with the news Socceroos international Nikita Rukavytsya is a likely starter after completing his transfer from German side Mainz on Monday.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic will also welcome the return of skipper Nikolai Topor-Stanley from Socceroos duty and is hopeful last year's top scorer, Tomi Juric, will be available for selection following a groin injury.
Nigerian defender Seyi Adeleke trained with the Wanderers for the first time on Tuesday after arriving from Italy on Monday and is in contention to play.
Sydney FC will welcome back marquee and Austrian captain Marc Janko who is a near-certainty to start after returning early from duty at the 2016 Euro qualifiers. New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz has recovered from injury and Bernie Ibini is due back from Socceroos duty.
■SYDNEY FC were inches away from kicking off their Hyundai A-League campaign with a win after a stunning Terry Antonis strike crashed off the bar in the final seconds of the Sky Blues 1-1 draw with Melbourne City at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Sydney FC 1 (Gameiro 54') drew
Melbourne City 1 (Villa 62')
The defence of the Wanderers was surprisingly porous as turnovers, elementary errors and a lack of tactical discipline allowed Melbourne Victory to win 4-1 last Friday night at Etihad Stadium.
Melbourne Victory 4 (Delpierre 8',
Berisha 19', pen, Broxham 28', Thompson 54') d Western Sydney 1 (Bridge 41').
