Soccer: Uncertainty in Knights' home advantage

New Zealand Knights coach Paul Nevin wants to see his players take the greatest possible advantage in playing five of their first seven A-League matches at North Harbour Stadium.

Speaking ahead of today's clash with Adelaide United, Nevin said it was not so much the home support but rather the sometimes uncertain playing surface that he sees as being in their favour.

"This is a brand new thing for me," said Nevin of the code-sharing his team must endure at the stadium. "With other teams I have been involved with, it has been a football-only scenario with short grass and a slick surface.

"Given the surface we have here and with the ball not fizzing about, it does alter the way you play. Sure, it is a home advantage, but not the way I want it.

"I'm sure Newcastle found it difficult - just as we did - last week and it's something we must use to our best advantage."

Nevin has named an unchanged squad for the match against an Adelaide team smarting from a first-up loss to Melbourne Victory.

It is unlikely young Michael White will be promoted into the starting line-up despite a bold showing off the bench against Newcastle.

"He did very well," said Nevin. "But I think it is important to drip-feed young players like Michael into it."

In conceding his team must start scoring goals to have any chance of returning to winning form, Nevin said it was difficult playing with a lone striker "especially if we don't get the ball and support to him quicker".

For the first time in the league, the Knights go into a game higher on the points table than their opponents.

But in John Kosmina the visitors have a wily coach and one who will not want to be among the cellar-dwellers for too long.

NZ Knights v Adelaide United
North Harbour Stadium, today 12.30pm

NZ Knights (from): Danny Milosevic, Darren Bazeley, Greg Duruz, Che Bunce, Neil Emblen, Richard Johnson, Scot Gemmill, Sean Devine, Jonti Richter, Jonas Salley, Malik Buari, Adam Casey, Michael White, Sime Kovacevic, Michael Turnbull.

Adelaide (from): Daniel Beltrame, Richie Alagich, Angelo Costanzo, Michael Vilkanis, Ross Aloisi, Carl Veart, Fernando, Greg Owens, Travis Dodd, Aaron Goulding, Nathan Burns, Robert Cornthwaite, Shengqing Qu, Robert Bajic, Jason Spagnuolo.