Heading into the second staging of the M80 Derby, ‘Le Patron’ and his Melbourne City squad has more questions hanging over their heads than answers. 

And while they’re certainly not unique amongst A-League clubs in that regard, it can be argued that the existential questions that hover over City carry with them implications that go beyond the next game, the next month or the next season. 

Having previously not lost consecutive games in the 2019/20 season, a City loss to Western United on Friday night would see them ring in the new year with three defeats on the bounce.

Nominally, a three-game skid, while not ideal, shouldn’t be enough to spark a metaphysical examination of a club - especially for one that sits second and plays in a league where there is no Sword of Damocles-shaped prospect of relegation hanging over clubs heads. 

But the nature of City’s previous two defeats, should they combine with capitulation against the new boys on the Melbourne scene, carries with it an unfortunate weight of history. 

Two weeks ago, heavier favourites than they had been in any previous game in the rivalries history, City crashed to a 2-1 defeat against Melbourne Victory in the Christmas Derby. 

A week later, despite being a goal and a man down after 25 minutes, Sydney FC took all three points away from a meeting of first vs second and went three games clear atop the table. 

Two huge games. 

Two painful defeats. 

But perhaps worse for City’s fans then the defeats themselves was that they just felt so painfully predictable - the latest chapters of the club ‘Hearting it' in their biggest moments. 

As any fan of City and/or Melbourne Heart can tell you, the club and pressure have never been comfortable bedfellows - their first decade in existence defined by a litany of failures in big moments broken only by a sole FFA Cup triumph in 2016.

If their supporters won’t tell you that, fans of other A-League clubs are certainly willing to pick up the slack. 

Indeed, being a fan of Melbourne’s second A-League team is seemingly an exercise in frustration but, appointed during this off-season, Mombaerts was quickly positioned as an antidote. 

He was a well-credentialed, European coach with experience in France and Japan that possessed new ideas and a fresh ethos.

History in the French youth system showed he could develop City’s stable of young talent and his time with Yokohama F. Marinos meant he was familiar with the arcane machinations of the City Football Group. 

Introduced to a collection of City’s most ardent fans at a private introduction soon after his arrival, he was also able to quickly endear himself to them via one important factor: he clearly wasn’t Warren Joyce. 

Arriving for his first day with his new club in an all-black outfit, sporting designer glasses and wielding a large briefcase, Mombaerts’ first impression cut a stark contrast with a predecessor that had become the biggest point of division between club and fan.