The standout winners of Round 4 were...

Auckland FC, who kept their top spot on the table by winning the seemingly unwinnable derby against Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium.

Their flawless record against the Phoenix, now four wins from four, was seriously challenged when the Premiers Plate holders were reduced to nine men with just over ten minutes remaining, after straight red cards were shown to both Daniel Hall and Logan Rogerson.

The Phoenix controlled 72% possession in the second half due to their numerical advantage, but managed only two of their 14 shots on target and ultimately failed to score, thrilling the traveling Black Knights supporters.

Auckland preserved their unbeaten streak and first place in the standings, having conceded only two goals in four matches, and coach Steve Corica will enter the international break hopeful that Dan Hall's red card will be overturned, as he believes Auckland should have been awarded a foul for a handball by Wellington's Corban Piper.

The biggest losers of Round 4 were...

Melbourne Victory have yet to deliver a convincing full-match performance this season, even after beating last-placed Perth Glory in the previous round, and pressure is increasing on head coach Arthur Diles, especially with the highly accomplished, championship-winning Western United coach John Aloisi still available.

The Victory appeared sluggish and occasionally disorganized when building out from defense against their derby rivals on a rainy Saturday night at AAMI Park. Although they took 21 shots compared to City's ten by full time, only Juan Mata and Matthew Grimaldi came close to scoring on separate occasions, with Grimaldi forcing an excellent left-hand save from new Socceroo squad member Patrick Beach.

Diles shifted some criticism onto starting Greek striker Nikos Vergos, who remains goalless after four games and has generated just 0.87 expected goals (xG) in over 300 minutes this season.

He was substituted within the first hour on Saturday, indicating that Diles is losing patience with Vergos' lack of contribution. His replacement, 22-year-old Jing Reec, has not performed any better, placing considerable pressure on veteran Mata and the wingers to resolve Victory's difficulties.

Both City’s and Auckland’s victories came at a price

Melbourne City had protected their key players during the pre-season Australia Cup, which led to a humiliating Round of 32 defeat to NPL NSW side APIA Leichhardt, but this strategy has not prevented a series of soft tissue injuries in the campaign’s opening month.

Compounded by a demanding AFC Champions League Elite schedule in September and October, City entered this weekend’s fixtures with an injury list including Aziz Behich, Mathew Leckie, Elbasan Rashani, Samuel Souprayen and Medin Memeti.

Therefore, the last thing they needed was for Nathaniel Atkinson, one of the few starters who avoided injury during last season’s crisis, to suffer a hamstring problem in the derby.

Auckland might be without acting captain Jake Brimmer, who was covering for the already sidelined Hiroki Sakai, after he left the pitch late in the second half with severe discomfort and signs suggesting a possible dislocated shoulder.

“It popped out but they popped it back in,” Brimmer said after the match.

“Obviously, with the international break next week, we will wait and see what happens from there.”

Goal of the week

There were several impressive first-time A-League goals this weekend, including from teenagers like Melbourne City's Peter Antoniou.

However, Central Coast’s Bailey Brandtman - in only his ninth A-League appearance - stood out with a confident cut-in and shot from outside the box past two hapless defenders.

What the managers said

Airton Andrioli, Adelaide United: “Before the game, we said we had been playing well, but tonight was about securing the result, ensuring our good performances translate into wins. That’s what truly builds confidence and belief.”

Steve Corica, Auckland FC: “Derbies are never easy with 11 players, let alone nine. The team showed great determination, put their bodies on the line, and defended their goal area. I’m very proud of them. This will benefit us in upcoming matches.”

Michael Valkanis, Brisbane Roar: “It was a well-balanced and professional display based on our preparations and execution. Defensively, we disrupted their strategy effectively. From my experience in Europe, clean sheets and hard work are crucial. We never looked likely to concede because we fought hard.”

Warren Moon, Central Coast Mariners: “We took time to settle into the game but were comfortable in the first half without posing a threat. I’m very pleased with our second-half effort. At halftime, we discussed being braver at key moments, and Bailey (Brandtman) delivered a great moment.”

Mile Sterjovski, Macarthur Bulls: “I’m proud of the players for backing up after Thursday night’s match. I felt we might have been the better side in the first half and stayed competitive for most of the game, but I was disappointed by the foul called against Sawyer. It shouldn’t have been a foul and would have resulted in a goal, changing the outcome.”

Aurelio Vidmar, Melbourne City: “Everyone knows this week has been tough on us all. The character and resilience shown were remarkable. Sometimes things don’t go your way, but you have to find a way and persevere, which we did tonight.”

Arthur Diles, Melbourne Victory: “At this stage, it’s frustrating. Reviewing the match, we’ll find many positives, as it was one of our best performances. There were periods of excellent football. Looking back, I’m sure we’ll take positives. We had over 20 shots, 13 inside the box, but only five on target. That tells a story. We must be more efficient.”

Mark Milligan, Newcastle Jets:“It took us quite a while to get into the game. We changed some starting points, and perhaps my message came across negatively because we weren’t as positive as usual. That’s on me, and I need to figure out why we were far from where we should be.”

Adam Griffiths, Perth Glory: “We had momentum and chances but failed to capitalize. It was a positive performance without the result. We started sluggish and naive in our approach. We controlled the first half but didn’t score. Those half-chances, with better quality, could become clear opportunities, but we’re not converting them.”

Ufuk Talay, Sydney FC: “I thought we didn’t start strongly and tried to force things in the first half. The team rushed, but in the second half, we were more patient and kept possession in their half more. We weren’t at our best, but winning games without being at our peak is very important.”

Giancarlo Italiano, Wellington Phoenix: “I think the red cards ruined the match. We were undisciplined and failed to seize chances. I’m disappointed we didn’t earn anything from the game. The second goal came from a defensive misunderstanding about protecting the offside line; some eager players stepped out at the wrong time. We essentially gave them the two goals.”

Alen Stajcic, Western Sydney Wanderers: “We created better chances in the first half and should have been 2-1 or 3-1 up at halftime. That’s been our season’s story: failing to finish when in control. We had good spells when we needed to score and dominate but didn’t.”

Next round's fixtures