Such has been Melbourne Victory’s injury misfortune that Swedish sharpshooter Ola Toivonen will be hoping to avoid a back strain from carrying the team’s international burden on his shoulders.

Classy German defender Georg Niedermeier has suffered his fourth injury setback of the season and is likely to miss Victory’s January fixture cluster along with Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda.

Past A-League champions have generally had at least four of their five visa players starring, and aware of this fact along with this uncharacteristic 2018-19 injury curse for a club with an exemplary injury record, coach Kevin Muscat will ease Spaniard Raul Baena back into the fold despite his late role in the win at Western Sydney.

Kiwi Kosta Barbarouses is the only foreigner not to have been struck down this season and has formed a dangerous partnership with Toivonen, whose been on fire since returning from a calf injury.

media_camera Georg Niedermeier has had quite a few injury problems this season.

Toivonen became the first Victory player to score in five consecutive games, when his brace secured a 2-1 win at the Wanderers last Saturday.

His seven goals in eight games leaves him three behind golden boot leader, Sydney FC’s Adam Le Fondre, but Toivonen’s selflessness is what’s stood out to Muscat.

“Ola brings players into play, brings a confidence to players around him. The amount of opportunities we’re getting in that front third, he’s contributing heavily, selflessly to the team,” Muscat said.

“His intelligence and his willingness to be selfless, he does a lot of work for the team with the ball, when we’ve got the ball. Everyone concentrates on working without the ball, but I’m more interested in the work he does when we’ve got the ball.”

Victory is already without Nick Ansell (hamstring), leaving fringe Socceroo Tommy Deng and Mr Versatile Leigh Broxham to shoulder the defensive load.

media_camera Ola Toivonen celebrates a goal with Kosta Barbarouses.

Honda will travel with the squad to Adelaide for Thursday’s clash with United as part of his rehab.

“He (Honda) is making good progress. He’ll travel with us to Adelaide so we can get 24 hour attention, rehab and treatment into him,” Muscat said.

“Rest assured we’re doing everything possible to give him every chance of recovering as soon as possible. When that is, it would be unfair of me to guess.

“Georg will miss this week and probably the next 2-3 weeks. He came on, and managed to hurt his calf.

“I’m frustrated (for) him because he’s worked tirelessly and he’s just going through a bit of a spell at the moment - a couple of concussions in succession then rolled his ankle and now calf.”

ADELAIDE UNITED v MELBOURNE VICTORY

Coopers Stadium, 7.50pm (EDT)

TAB odds: United $2.65, Draw $3.55, Victory $2.50

TV: Live on Fox Sports

DAVID DAVUTOVIC’S VERDICT

Victory are undermanned but they still have enough quality to do damage, even on the road. VICTORY 2-1

ADELAIDE UNITED

COACH: Marco Kurz

Expected line-up: 20 Izzo, 4 Strain, 23 Elsey, 22 Jakobsen, 3 Galloway, 8 Isaias, 7 Kitto, 11 Goodwin, 17 Mileusnic, 26 Halloran, 10 Ilso

Subs: 1 Margush (gk), 2 Marrone, 5 Regan, 14 Blackwood, 16 Konstandolpoulos

MELBOURNE VICTORY

COACH: Kevin Muscat

Expected line-up: 20 Thomas, 3 Brown, 6 Broxham, 14 Deng, 2 Roux, 21 Valeri, 24 Antonis, 16 Hope, 10 Troisi, 11 Toivonen, 9 Barbarouses

Subs: 1 Acton (gk), 7 Athiu, 15 Baena, 19 Akbari, 24 Kamsoba

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