Merrick looks for Phoenix lift

Wellington Phoenix will need to be more incisive on attack and organised on defence when they meet Melbourne Victory at Etihad Stadium on Monday, coach Ernie Merrick says.

He's expecting the defending champions to be stung after last week's 1-0 loss to Newcastle Jets, but Wellington are also high on confidence after their 3-2 win over Brisbane Roar.

Skipper Andrew Durante's fitness is still up in the air, although the central defender looks a good chance after running freely at training during the week.

With or without Durante, Merrick is demanding bigger things from his makeshift defence, where he says Manny Muscat has been a revelation in the middle while Tom Doyle has slotted in impressively at left back.

"Since he came on as a substitute against Newcastle, he's got better every game," Merrick said.

"When Andrew Durante comes back, it's going to give me the type of headache I like and that's the way it should be."

The Phoenix have copped criticism for their work in defending corners, but Merrick says the answer to that particular problem is obvious.

"If we give away 11 corners, as we did against the Roar, eventually someone is going to score. So the objective is make sure we don't give away so many corner kicks."

At the other end of the paddock, Wellington look to have shaken off the finishing woes that dogged them in a lacklustre opening 2-1 loss to Newcastle Jets.

Striker Roy Krishna has scored twice in the last two matches, both sharp finishes, although his second-half penalty miss against the Jets still haunts.

And after a slow start to the season, where he struggled with injury and fitness, new Dutch signing Jeffrey Sarpong has looked increasingly dangerous up front.

While the Phoenix found the net three times against Brisbane, Merrick says it should have been more.

"In our review session I showed the boys the number of times we were in or around the six-yard box, the number of players we got in there, and the number of quality balls we had.

"We scored two and a free kick, and we could have scored two or three more."