Gold Coast United’s shock 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Wellington last week indicated just how unpredictable the A-League can be, but one certainty this week is that the attendance at Skilled Park will not exceed five thousand. Having drawn poor crowds all season, United have announced that for the rest of the current campaign they will be opening only one stand, thereby reducing their capacity to 5000.

That worrying development has added to an air of gloom around the Queensland glamour club this week, with goalkeeper Jess Vanstratten and Kristian Rees both set to miss the Fury game through injury and Miron Bleiberg threatening to axe several other first-team regulars in response to that disastrous trouncing by the Phoenix.

In sharp contrast, North Queensland Fury were unsurprisingly thrilled to chalk up their maiden home win at the expense of Perth Glory last Sunday and will travel south in buoyant mood. Revenge will be very much on the agenda for the visitors after the 5-0 mauling they received when the two sides met in Round Two, but they may have to make do without Daniel McBreen and Robbie Middleby, both of whom are nursing hamstring strains. Attacking trio Robbie Fowler, Dyron Daal and James Robinson have all missed a number of training sessions this week, but are nevertheless expected to be fit for the Skilled Park clash.

After the debacle in Wellington, punters will be justifiably wary of trying to predict how Gold Coast will perform this week, but with the quality in their squad, it is difficult to imagine them playing so poorly again. A backlash may therefore be on the cards, but Fury have plenty of resolve and now the added confidence of a home win behind them. That may be enough to earn Ian Ferguson’s side a valuable point and further damage Gold Coast’s title credentials.

Prediction: Gold Coast United 2-2 North Queensland Fury