Hours after Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat said Sydney FC's taunts had only served to pile expectation on themselves, Arnold ensured he had the final say before Saturday's blockbuster semi-final.

In an 11th-hour barb, the departing coach revealed a post-match comment from star Victory striker Besart Berisha had further cemented his premiers' belief they were headed for the grand final.

He said Berisha had approached one of his foreign players after the Sky Blues' final round 1-0 home win a fortnight ago and told him Victory couldn't conquer them.

"When the belief is exceptionally high and Besart tells one of our boys after the game that we're such a great team and they can't beat us, it gives us even more belief," Arnold said.

"We're at fortress Allianz and we expect to win."

Arnold also tried to discredit the "new game plan" Muscat said he'd been cooking up in a bid to end Sydney's seven-match Big Blue winning streak.

"If they have got a new game plan it's something they may have only practised for two days," he said.

"You always know it's a dangerous time to change things at this time of the season.

"But we'll be ready for anything. I expect a war.

"Every time you play them that's what you get.

"Most of those occasions, especially the last few games right back to that grand final last year, it started that way.

"But we've got players who can win the war as well. The boys are in great shape, they're ready."

Arnold played down a back problem for Jordy Buijs and insisted the Dutch centre-back was "100 per cent" right to start.

"No problem, he's training today. He had a bit of a stiff back, nothing more," he said.

"He came off last game in the last five or 10 minutes with a stiff back.

"It's just tightened up a little bit but he'll be fine.

"Jordy, trust me, 100 per cent will play."

STATS THAT MATTER

* Melbourne Victory have never lost to Sydney FC in regular time in a finals match (W3, D1, L2 on penalties)

* Sydney FC have never lost a post-season match at Allianz Stadium (W7, D2)

* Melbourne Victory have lost their past five finals games outside Victoria, scoring just two goals in the process; their only finals win outside their home state came in 2009 against Adelaide at Coopers Stadium (2-0)

Australian Associated Press