Sydney FC have become the hunters in A-League title defence

Used to being the hunted, Sydney FC are very much in hunt mode, as the two-time defending A-League champions seek to generate more winning momentum over the next week.

Wednesday’s 2-0 home win over Western United moved Sydney up to seventh, but in a compressed table they are just two points behind second-placed Macarthur with a game in hand.

They have opportunities over the next week to improve their position.

Sydney play successive home games against the two lowest teams on the ladder, Newcastle and bottom of the table Melbourne Victory.

“We’re building, we’re slowly getting there. We still have a lot of games to go and plenty of time to catch up,” Sydney coach Steve Corica said.

“It’s very tight. Central Coast have got a bit of a lead at the moment, but all the other teams are quite close.

“You get two or three wins on the trot and you’ll be in second spot definitely and closing on Central Coast hopefully.”

Playmaker Milos Ninkovic rolled an ankle in Wednesday’s game after being fouled and will be checked before Saturday’s match against the Jets.

Corica extracted several positives from a clear-cut win, Sydney’s first in five games.

He said Socceroos full back Rhyan Grant, who marked his 200th game with a rare goal, looked back to his best.

Corica rated midfielder Anthony Caceres excellent for a second straight game and was also pleased with the work of forwards Kosta Barbarouses and Bobo.

United slumped to successive defeats and remained ninth.

“The last two games we just didn’t look like our normal selves,” United coach Mark Rudan said.

“In terms of our intensity, in terms of breaking lines, in terms of our positioning, our runs, our movement, just a little bit off.”

Rudan refused to use the absence of star player Alessandro Diamanti as an excuse for his side’s lacklustre performance.

The Italian needed painkillers to get through last weekend’s game against Western Sydney after feeling something during the warmup and was left behind in Melbourne, but Rudan said he would be fit for Sunday’s home clash with Brisbane.

Goalkeeper Filip Kurto, who missed Wednesday’s match after getting concussed last weekend, is also likely to return for Sunday’s game.

United are set to be without veteran defender Andrew Durante, who was sent off in added time after his hand made contact with Jordan Swibel’s face.

“My question is why did you use the VAR in the 93rd minute when the game is done and dusted as opposed to (last) Sunday when the game was in the balance and Besart (Berisha) clearly got his shirt pulled and we didn’t use it that time?” Rudan said.