Defender Seb Ryall said the Sky Blues 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix last week, minus the Italian legend, should silence critics who labelled the harbour-siders a one-man team.

Ryall, 23, chipped in with a goal against the Kiwi club, his first of the season, and said the result shows the squad isn’t reliant on their international marquee to bag all three points.

Del Piero missed the last game with a hamstring strain and is at best a fifty-fifty chance for Saturday’s clash at Allianz Stadium.

Whether or not he runs onto the park, last-placed Sydney is determined to reward new coach Frank Farina, and kick-start their climb back up the ladder, with a win at home.

"(Del Piero’s) been really good for us this year but the results haven’t really gone our way,” Ryall said.

“Since Frank Farina’s come in in the last two weeks things have really turned in terms of intensity of training and it obviously showed on the weekend.

“Not having Alessandro isn’t ideal but it just showed we can win without him and it’s a good sign for us that we don’t rely on him.

“If he’s not involved then other people, like myself, can score goals – and that’s a good confidence boost especially with the derby this weekend.”

As for the gibes that Sydney is a one-man team, Ryall added: “I think we’ve proven that we’re not… so that will shut people up who’ve been saying that.”

Skipper Terry McFlynn will miss the clash through suspension but with Brett Emerton and Tony Antonis back from Socceroos duty Farina will have to decide whether to change a winning line-up.

Ryall is a near certainty to keep his spot at right back and the ever-industrious Rhyan Grant did his case no harm with another high-tempo performance last weekend capped off by a composed goal.

A crowd of between 25,000 and 30,000 is expected for the clash which will hearten Sky Blues bean counters after a string of poor results saw gate numbers slide to just under 12,500 for their last home game.

As for Ryall, simply finding himself a regular on the team sheet is a welcome change. Last season under Czech coach Vitezslav Lavicka the Sydney-sider was frozen out of the starting eleven making just two starts.

Only 10 rounds into this campaign and he’s already cemented his spot as a first choice defender, something he describes as “refreshing”.

And despite the abysmal start to the campaign, and a mind-boggling 23 goals conceded, Ryall said the Sky Blues remained “one hundred per cent” confident of securing a finals berth.

“We win this game and we’re back in the top six,” he said.