A win at Hindmarsh Stadium would send the Reds go to top spot on the table, while it would also halt a Phoenix charge which has seen the New Zealanders win their past three games.

Making tomorrow’s result all the more important is that the next time The Reds run out in the A-League, it will be on Boxing Day in Perth, due to the club’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off in Japan next week.

With two of United’s matches in December postponed until the New Year, it will be imperative that The Reds keep themselves in the mix of the top four ahead of a very busy January schedule.

Vidmar is hopeful his team is motivated by the prospect of going top after last week’s missed opportunity at Newcastle.

He said: “There was an opportunity last week and we didn’t take it, (although) everyone was really focused on trying to achieve that.

“We went through a period like this last year where we had three or four opportunities to get top spot and never took it.

"Our squad is certainly different from what it was last year and is much tougher, especially mentally, so there is an opportunity to go to the top of the tree for a few hours and hopefully they can take it.”

Sides going up against Wellington at home previously would generally go in as favourites, but tomorrow night will be a much tougher proposition with Phoenix currently in a purple patch that has them only just outside the top four on goal difference.

Vidmar said: “They’re probably the form team of the competition at this point of time. They’ve taken a couple of big scalps in Sydney and Melbourne in the past couple of weeks so they’re in pretty good form.

“I think it has been well documented over the last three or four weeks that they’ve had a couple of big heart to hearts and ironed out a few problems and they’re really reaping the benefits now so it’s going to be an extremely tough game.”

United’s defence will be kept busy by former Adelaide City and United striker Shane Smeltz, who is the league’s leading scorer with 9 goals, while the Reds will also have to deal with Brazilian Fred, who is on loan at Wellington after a spell in the MLS.

"Smeltz is probably the best striker in the competition and with Fred coming into the line up over the past couple of weeks, he adds that bit of flair going forward so they’re going to be a very tough opposition.

“But we’re at home and our form at home has been pretty good so we’d like to keep that in tact," said Vidmar.

United’s Brazilian defender Cassio is likely to be included in the squad after missing last week with calf soreness, Vidmar naming an extended 19 man squad, with all but Daniel Beltrame and Lucas Pantelis available for selection.

United are also set to welcome their 500,000th home spectator in the A-League in tomorrow night’s game. The 5,312th person to walk through the gates for tomorrow’s match will be number 500,000.

With Adelaide United’s Youth Team having the bye in the National Youth League, the Baby Reds will play a friendly against the Tasmanian State Team as a curtain raiser to tomorrow night’s A-League match, marquee signing Paul Agostino set to play in the Youth match in his return from a calf injury.