After scoring three goals in a half against Brisbane a fortnight ago, things have stagnated up front for Melbourne, which managed 0-0 draws with both Wellington and North Queensland in the space of three days.

Victory have been renowned as one of the most attacking sides in the competition over the first five years of the A-League, and a trip to Newcastle, where they have suffered some big defeats, won't alter Merrick's plans to re-discover the team's cutting edge up front.

"You can only be one of the teams in the finals if you are regularly winning both home and away, you can't play that British type of football where you play attacking at home, but defensive away," he said.

"We always focus on our strengths and improving on them.

"The good thing about when we do play away from home is that team's often play attacking football against us.

"Sometimes when we play at home, they play a more defensive type game.

"Being away from home, where opposition teams tend to take more risks, opens play and that suits us. There is a bonus to playing away from home in that aspect.

"Our record up here is pretty poor. For one reason or another, we haven't played our best football and there's no excuse for that.

"Even in the year when we won the first grand final, we lost 4-0 up here."

Key to those attacking plans will be the fitness of Robbie Kruse, who underwent a final test on his calf on match eve. Should he prove he is ready to play, Merrick indicated that he will most likely start but won't play 90 minutes.

The other change will come in the midfield, with Grant Brebner to miss after belated x-rays revealed he has two broken toes.

Merrick said Brebner's absence would give him a chance to further test his midfield depth, with Costa Rican Marvin Angulo the man most likely to make a rare start.

"I think it's an opportunity to give other boys a run because our midfield has got good depth," Merrick said.

"That's why Nick Ward decided to move on, because he wanted a game every week and our midfield's a tough place to do that.

"Maybe Marvin will come straight in, which seems the obvious switch for Brebs in the midfield."