It's a combination many fans have been clamouring for but has not been possible due to Verbeek's preference for a 4-2-3-1 formation.

What it most likely means is that McDonald may drop deeper and play in behind Kennedy as one of the three attacking midfielders in a similar fashion to Tim Cahill against Republic of Ireland earlier this month.

There, Cahill played almost as a second striker behind McDonald. It yielded two goals for the injured Everton star in a 3-0 win. 

"Scotty is okay, he scored a good goal on Sunday and I'm curious about the game tonight against Arsenal. It will be difficult for him of course,"Verbeek said today from Holland. 

"But Scotty is always willing to come over and play for the national team. Now that Timmy is not here, it is a good possibility that he will start together with Josh Kennedy."

Verbeek joked: "Instead of three strikers, we play with four strikers."

Verbeek also said he will reunite fit-again Vince Grella in the centre of midfield with Gold Coast star Jason Culina in Seoul.

He added: "I haven't seen Jason playing in the A-League. But I don't need to see him play in the A-League to find out how good he is.

"But of course I get all kinds of reports in Australia who see him live and on TV. I'm not worried. It's why I've selected him and I want him on the field in principle with Vince Grella.

"So I want to go back to the central midfield players we have many times before. I want to see them together playing."

Verbeek also clarified why certain A-League players and Socceroo regulars such as Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne were not selected.

He said it wasn't because they'd returned to play in the league.

Verbeek said if they had games on that same weekend - which Perth Glory do - he was reluctant to send them away if they were only to sit on the bench or have limited game time.

As for the perennial question over Mark Viduka's future, Verbeek said he last spoke to the former Newcastle United striker in early June but reiterated: "The door is always open".

Verbeek said the game against South Korea was all about the performance over the result. "If we put in a good performance, there is a big chance you win games.

"Okay I want to win but I want to see some new blood play. That gives me a lot of possibilities for upcoming months. But we're going to Korea to win the game."