Chapman out to prove City is the real deal in Melbourne Derby

Connor Chapman doesn't try to sell the line that the Melbourne derby is just another game to the players.

The 20 year-old will be hoping Melbourne City shows its A-league title credentials in Saturday night's Melbourne derby Source: Getty Images

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It's anything but another game, according to the Melbourne City defender, and that's what makes it so special.

"There's that added extra pressure because it's a derby," Chapman said.

"Everyone on the field does give a little bit more just because you want to win and it means a bit more to your fans if you win the derby as well.

"You go out to give it your all in every game, but in a derby you have to make absolutely sure you're at 100 per cent because if you're not you might lose and this is the last game you want that to happen in."

Melbourne Victory, the A-League defending premier and champion, has the home-ground advantage for the first derby of the year, at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

The first of the Melbourne derbies last season, at the same ground in round three, drew a crowd of 43,729 and with plenty of hype surrounding this game and City expected to be among the main threats to Victory's title defence, there is every chance that attendance figure will be bettered.

"I think they're definitely beatable. We've beaten them before and we want to go out there and show to our fans and show to the league that we're going to be a big contender this year," Chapman said.

The 20 year-old, who is in his second season at City, is loving every minute of the build-up.

"I think the hype is good," he said.

"It pumps up the players for the game and I think that's why it's a different game, because there's so much more hype."

Chapman was missing through illness when Victory won 5-2 in the first derby of last season. He played when City won 1-0 at AAMI Park and lost 3-0 at Etihad. The two teams met again in a semi-final, at Etihad, when Victory again won 3-0.

In last weekend's opening round, both teams drew on the road. It was 0-0 for Victory against Adelaide United and 1-1 for City against Sydney FC.

Chapman said there were still positives to come out of the draw at Allianz Stadium.

"I thought in the first 20 minutes in particular and pretty much all of the first half  we put our stamp on the game," he said.

"We were playing away from home against the grand finalists from last season and we dug deep in the second half. It was important we showed that when we have to dig deep we can.

City still has a few players missing who were recovering from injury and weren't ready to start the season, but Chapman said that wasn't something the players were talking about.

"I think Victory have got a few players missing as well," he said.

"You don't worry about the players who are missing, you worry about the players who are actually on the field and I'm confident every player on our roster can go out there and beat Victory and I think everyone else is confident as well."