Injured Melbourne City linchpin Mathew Leckie will miss Wednesday's A-League Men's match against Macarthur FC.
The City dynamo suffered a groin injury in a 2-2 draw against Perth Glory last Wednesday.
But the Socceroos stalwart is tracking to soon be available, easing concern ahead of Australia's crunch World Cup qualifier against Japan on March 24.
City coach Patrick Kisnorbo is hopeful Leckie will be fit for Saturday's derby against Melbourne Victory but has ruled out the attacker from facing Macarthur.
"He won't be ready for tomorrow's game," Kisnorbo told reporters on Tuesday.
"It's day-by-day. He is improving which is great news.
"We need to see how he progresses."
Leckie has been crucial to City's rise to second on the ladder - Kisbnorbo's outfit has 29 points from 16 games.
But they're only seven points ahead of the fourth-placed Macarthur, who have played two games less than City in their topsy-turvy season.
The Bulls, after opening their season with a five-game unbeaten streak, then went winless for five games from December to February and suffered a 2-1 loss to Melbourne Victory last-start.
And despite City's climb to second spot, coach Kisnorbo is again considering ondering replacing goalkeeping stalwart Thomas Glover with Matthew Sutton for the game at AAMI Park, where City have lost just two of nine games this campaign.
Sutton was to have replaced Glover last weekend against Wellington Phoenix but the game was postponed.
"Obviously that changed but he (Sutton) is definitely in contention for tomorrow," Kisnorbo said, saying he was keen "to have a look" at the 22-year-old.
"I felt at the time that Sutton deserved the opportunity, again it has changed because we had no game.
"Time will tell."
