To see Sydney training today...

Earlier this season, when the two teams played at Etihad Stadium, Muscat was closed down across the backline by a hard-working front two pairing of Alex Brosque and Bridge.

The tactic was part of a spectacularly successful game plan that saw the visitor slam three early goals - with one to Brosque and two to Bridge - to cement the 3-0 victory.

And with the duo dubbed "The Killer Bs" set to be reunited across the forward line for Saturday's one versus two clash in Melbourne, Bridge said a similar game-plan is on the cards.

"He [Muscat] is a great passer and a great leader and he's one of those characters that if you let him get all his confidence up he can just control the game and do whatever he likes," he told au.fourfourtwo.com after training today.

"It's up to us to keep him quiet, especially early on. And I think if we go ahead stats suggest we haven't lost once we've gone ahead this season.

"The first 15 minutes is going to be very quick with some big tackles early on to show which team wants to dominate the other.

"Musky is a player that likes to intimidate players around him and I think if he didn't intimidate you he tends to stress a bit and then do some stuff to try and wind you up."

Asked whether more stress on the Victory legend was on the cards, Bridge smiled and said: "Maybe a little."

A crowd tipped to be over 35,000 is expected for one of the games of the season. And with Muscat's 500-club game career milestone it's an event that has added significance.

And if Victory win, it could blow out the lead at the top and put Victory in the box seat for the Premiership and a place in the 2011 Asian Champions League.

Victory's go-to man Archie Thompson describes the game is a "mini-grand final" and Bridge agrees.

"And anything less than a win and they can go six points clear of us," he said. "They will open up a bit of a gap and that's something we don't want. I think it is [a mini-grand final]. It can open up a gap for them.

"It's always easier when you get that early goal and what happened last time they started to open up to counter what we were doing and we got two more goals in quick succession.

"And when we scored down there you could hear a pin drop."

Bridge added that he felt neither sides were outright favourites for the title.

"I think we are the two favourites but I don't think they are any better than us," he said. "I think they'd be worried about us coming back after what we did to them last time."

Bridge adds the sky blues have pinpointed the next three games over Christmas as season-defining. 

After the top of the table clash with Melbourne on Saturday Sydney have two home games either side of Christmas Day. Next Wednesday against Central Coast Mariners at home followed by Adelaide United the following Sunday, also at the SFS.

He added: "We've labelled this the important part of the season. If we pick up three wins, or two wins and a draw before the break, that puts us in a good place going into the final rounds of the season.

"It's going to be difficult; we've got a bit of rest after the Adelaide game which I think will be well deserved."

John Aloisi had rehab on his injured hamstring on Tuesday and didn't train with the squad on Wednesday.

The club also confirmed they will not appeal Simon Colosimo's one match ban for a straight red card in New Zealand last week.

Defender and former Victory player Sebastian Ryall took his place in the starting XI at Sydney training today.

To see Sydney training today...