His immediate concern is the number of bodies he has available for tomorrow's A-League encounter against Newcastle Jets.

With the fixture against Newcastle Jets at EnergyAustralia Stadium coming up fast, followed by the Mariners match, the United boss could be forced to inject a clutch of youngsters into his squad.

Brazilian midfielder, Robson, was an early casualty against the Phoenix, forced off midway through the first half, but his replacement Zenon Caravella was subjected to a string of challenges that left him battered and bruised.

Robson and central defender Kristian Rees will definitely miss the trip to in-form Newcastle, with Rees suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

“I was happy with the way the game against Wellington went because we didn't waste too much oxygen and it was a clinical win,” said Bleiberg.

“But the toll from that game is a lot higher than we wanted because it was such a physical game and we got dragged into that.

"As a result we have one key midfielder out and two in doubt for the trip to Newcastle – Jason Culina (knee), Robson (knee) and Zenon Caravella (ankle). Robson is definitely out and the others are no more than 50/50.

“I wanted to take my strongest squad to Newcastle because they are a good side who are on a good run. But life goes on and if we have to reshuffle, reorganise and use some less experienced players, then that’s what we’ll do.

“Newcastle are functioning like a well-oiled machine at the moment and had the Wellington match been a ‘normal’ game then I may not be faced with these selection problems.”

With his side looking to close the gap on second-placed Adelaide, Gold Coast’s vice-captain, Michael Thwaite, says it’s vital to take advantage of the midweek game.

“When you look at the ladder you see those games in hand we have and it’s crucial we win them when they come along – starting on Wednesday,” Thwaite said.

“Newcastle are a dangerous team to play against and our first priority is to make sure we don’t concede goals. Hopefully, from there we can build some momentum and get the result we want.”

With almost 10,000 free tickets already taken up by the local community for Sunday’s visit of the Mariners, Thwaite said the buzz in the Gold Coast dressing room was tangible.

“To be honest it was even quite hard to focus on the Wellington game! Mr Palmer’s gesture in opening the stadium for free when we play the Mariners brought so much excitement to the dressing room,” said Thwaite.

“It’s a great initiative for the community to come along, enjoy some free entertainment and recognise what Mr Lowy and FFA tried to do for Australia with the World Cup bid.

“I understand that tickets are tracking really well at this point and hopefully the football community, the general public and holidaymakers will come along and have a great day.

“This time of year is tough financially for most people, so to be able to see some very good football and be entertained for free is perfectly timed. I’m sure those who come along to see a game for the very first time will be very pleasantly surprised with what they experience.

“One of the reasons Gold Coast United exists is to provide a pathway for all the youngsters in the region and to lift the profile of football in the area. We need everyone in the football family to get behind this initiative and show their support, not only for their team, but for their game.”