Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau is trying to keep a lid on the Reds’ impressive start to the campaign which sees his side sitting in third spot after nine matches.

United completely dominated the winless Western Sydney Wanderers in a 2-0 victory at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night with the visitors’ captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley sent off after just 17 minutes.

The Reds exhibited some of the best football seen in recent seasons and totally overwhelmed the Asian champion with star playmaker Marcelo Carrusca and Fabio Ferreira finding the net either side of half time.

United has produced six wins, two draws and a loss so far this season, but Gombau said while he is happy with United’s excellent performances, his focus remains solely on the week ahead.

“It’s game by game,” Gombau said.

“We are doing well, the players are doing well, we have a good environment, we are hungry and there are a lot of things that are OK.

“Every single game is different. Last week we lost, this week we win – it’s important now we start to think on Friday night’s game.

“We are doing what we want and we are working to play this way.”

Arriving in Adelaide searching for their first win, Wanderers were due to fly out to Morocco on Sunday to take part in the Club World Cup (CWC).

Reports have since emerged that the players have been involved in a pay dispute with WSW management over the sharing of CWC rewards and there has been talk of boycotting the tournament.

Whether these behind-the-scenes negotiations have had any impact on the Wanderers’ recent form remains open for discussion, but their cause on Saturday night was not helped when Topor-Stanley was given his marching orders inside 20 minutes.

The Reds took full advantage of the extra man and smashed the visitors, owning 74% of possession and amassing a whopping 26 chances to one – an element of the match which was not lost on Gombau.

The Spaniard lamented a host of squandered chances which could prove costly come season’s end.

“Honestly I am unhappy in creating chances and in (not) scoring because maybe at the end of the league you need one or two goals to be in one position or another and you can lose a position for this,” Gombau said.

“The touch of shooting and scoring is not so good and this is something we need to improve.

“In the end we did a good game, I think we play a very good game.

“But it’s true that they were with 10 (players). I am so happy because even playing against 10 is not so easy.”

United entertains Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium on Friday night with Roar losing 1-0 to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Match details

Saturday, December 6
Adelaide United 2 (Carrusca 36’, Ferreira 55’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
12,122 @ Coopers Stadium