FTBL understands  Yuel, who has been absent from recent United’s pre-season teamsheets after making a blistering goalscoring start to life in Tarneit, recently underwent surgery on his ankle and will miss up to six weeks of football.

It will now likely mean that Young Socceroos attacker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos’ role in a United frontline featuring veteran presences Besart Berisha and Scott McDonald will expand, as well as opening up chances to contribute for other young players such as Josh Cavallo and Thiel Iradukunda.  

One of the first players to join United after they received an A-League licence from the FFA, Yuel signed from NPL Victoria side Bentleigh Greens who, led by now-United Assistant Coach John Anastasiadis, had themselves only just recruited him from NPL SA side Adelaide City.

Finding the back of the net four times in four pre-season games, much had been expected of the 24-year-old in his first season in professional football but he will now be forced to watch on from the sidelines as his teammates run out in a competitive fixture for the first time against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday evening.

Specifically requested as an opening round fixture by Phoenix General Manager David Dome, much of the build-up ahead of the meeting between United and the ‘Nix has centred upon the return of Mark Rudan to face the club he guided to finals football in 2018/19.

Dome has warned Rudan to expect a frosty reception to mark his return.

"We said we'd love Western United on the first game of the season and the football gods have delivered it up ... it's a dream," Dome told AAP.

"I'd love nothing better than to put one over on the coach and the players that left us."

However, speaking after the announcement that Italian playmaker Alessandro Diamanti would captain his side for the coming season, Rudan has refrained from weighing into the drama.

"No issue. Like I said, the focus for me is my team, is my club as well, Western United," Rudan said earlier this week.

"That is the most important thing, everything else is a distant second as far as I'm concerned.

"Whatever happens, happens, it doesn't affect me. The external things I can never control and I don't worry about the things that I can't control.

"As I said, it's about my players and my team being best prepared for this game."