A quick return to Sydney FC's starting line-up may be off the cards for Patrick Wood, but coach Ufuk Talay insists missing out should not be seen as punishment for the young forward's sending-off against Melbourne Victory.
Wood has served his one-match suspension for that dismissal and will be free to play in his side's clash at Central Coast on Saturday night - though that does not necessarily mean he will.
Among the biggest talking points of round 14, Wood was given his marching orders in the 37th minute against Victory as he and left-back Adama Traore battled for a high ball.
A slight nudge from behind from Victory's Roderick Miranda meant that as Wood went to bring the ball down his studs landed flush on Traore's raised shin.
Neither player was injured, but after being summoned to review the collision on the pitchside monitor, referee Adam Kersey showed Wood a straight red card.
Visibly furious, Talay later accused the VAR of "killing" the match.
The incident raised hackles away from AAMI Park, too, with Matildas captain Sam Kerr among those voicing opposition to the decision online.
Asked whether Wood would slot back into his starting XI at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday, Talay was non-committal.
"He can return to the team because he's not suspended, but we'll make that decision closer to game day," Sydney's coach said on Thursday.
"It's unfortunate for Woody. You don't want to punish him for getting sent off for trying to challenge to win a ball, but at the same time Fabio (Gomes) has done a great job in the last game."
Starting in place of Wood last weekend, Gomes scored the opening goal before setting up Jake Girdwood-Reich in the Sky Blues' 2-2 draw with Western United.
Gomes had also come on after Wood's Victory send-off, with Max Burgess the player sacrificed, but the Brazilian forward had few chances to make an attacking impact as Victory pinned back their under-manned rivals.
"It's a great headache to have," Talay said of his frontline choices for Saturday.
"We don't have an abundance of players at the moment with a few of the injuries that we have, but some of these decisions need to be made.
"We're expected to win every game that we play as a club."
