MELBOURNE City’s quest for a maiden A-League title has taken a blow with Michael Zullo ruled out for the season with a toe injury.

It means City will have to make at least one change to its starting line-up for Friday night’s blockbuster clash with Adelaide United, a match in which either side can go top — even if momentarily — with a win.

Zullo came off second best in a collision with Perth’s Josh Risdon in City’s 3-2 loss to the Glory on Sunday night.

The 10-time Socceroo tried to play on after the first-half incident, but eventually succumbed to the injury.

He had surgery on Wednesday and coach John van’t Schip said on Thursday morning that the 27-year-old had been ruled out for up to 10 weeks.

“It was something with his big toe and is connected with the joint,” van’t Schip said.

Zullo has had a wretched run with injury over the past few years.

He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury midway through 2014 before two separate calf injuries saw him play just 45 minutes in the first 12 rounds of the season.

“For him it’s been very disappointing with those setbacks,” van’t Schip said.

“But that’s something that is a part of his season and he just has to make sure he gets back at a good level when he comes back in full fitness.”

Zullo had formed part of a new midfield partnership with Nick Fitzgerald in recent times, before reverting to his customary left back position for the Glory game last week.

Melbourne City will have to go without Michael Zullo. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: News Corp Australia

Ben Garuccio had been holding down that spot — and the 20-year-old came on in Zullo’s place in Perth — but van’t Schip refused to say whether the South Australian would come straight back in to the starting line-up.

“We look at every option possible and Benny has played a lot of games there,” he said.

“So it could be one of the options.”

There are so many permutations heading in to the last round of the season given four teams — City, Adelaide, Brisbane and Western Sydney — can win the premier’s plate.

But van’t Schip said there was no point worrying about what the other teams may or may not do over the course of the weekend.

“You always have to worry about your own game, you can’t control the other games,” he said.

“We’ve always done that. It’s not something to think about.

“For us, now, it’s easy that we’re playing the first game. The thing we have to do now is win — as Adelaide has to do as well — to have a big chance, or a bigger chance, of climbing the ladder.

“Maybe with a bit of luck we could have a result at the end of the weekend that could give us something special.

“But we also know that it’s not in our hands.”