The indisputable message from Muscat after his A-League premiership and championship-defending team had opened its FFA Cup campaign with a 6-0 win over Balmain Tigers was that last season's success didn't guarantee anyone a place in the side this season.
Asked if we should expect the Victory starting XI will be the same this season apart from new signing Danny Vukovic taking over as goalkeeper and Leigh Broxham slotting in for the departed Mark Milligan in midfield, Muscat replied: "One thing I do is not assume.
"Because, as we've seen with a couple of the boys (starting in the FFA Cup match) and young George Howard coming on as well and performing very well, it's a little bit of an injection of youth that has given us a bit more energy among the group and it keeps people on their toes.
"Ultimately, we're working towards something, round one (of the A-League). We're taking the cup competition very seriously and we want to be successful in it, so what happens from now to that first game is too much to play out.
"But one thing for sure is that there is some serious competition for places and history doesn't get you a game, it's what you're doing right here and now.
"So we're pretty single-minded about the fact we must improve. We must improve on our performances from last year just to give ourselves a chance and that's what we're trying to do."
Defender Thomas Deng and midfielder Jesse Makarounas were two young players whom Muscat handed a start in the cup game against the Tigers, from the NSW State League 1 competition, at Leichhardt Oval on Tuesday night.
Connor Pain, who has already had significant experience playing for Victory but is still young as well, also started.
But it was still a very strong Victory side that included stars such as Besart Berisha, Gui Finkler, Kosta Barbarouses, Daniel Georgievski and Broxham. Another star, Fahid Ben Khalfallah, came off the bench during the second half.
Howard, whom Muscat mentioned, came off the bench to replace star striker Berisha during the second half and scored a goal.
The match was watched by an enthusiastic crowd of 4,849 at the famous old ground.
"They (several young players) did get an opportunity tonight, but I didn't give it to them, they actually earned it," Muscat said.
"And I think that's the way we want to go about things at Melbourne Victory.
"Thomas Deng wasn't given anything today, he earned everything he got, and because he earned that opportunity he was prepared tonight. I thought he was outstanding. He started his career off in a very, very good manner."
Muscat liked what he saw from his team against Balmain as the road begins in a campaign that will take in the AFC Champions League as well as the A-League and FFA Cup.
"I was very pleased with the physical condition of the players when we got back (to training) three-and-a-half weeks ago, but what was more impressive was the mental attitude," he said.
"What happened last season hasn't been mentioned. They've come back in and training's been very, very good and tonight was the start of the building towards improving on what we've already done.
"The standard has been set at a fairly high point here tonight. I'm really looking forward to improving as a group because it's exciting times.
"Full credit to the opposition as well, because they did try and play a decent brand of football, but on the night I thought it was a good start for us in terms of setting a standard that we can now work to improve on.
"We've still got a couple of months at least to go on and improve (before the A-League), but tonight set a good standard for us to go and do so.
"I just think, as well, that we've seen tonight again how everybody has embraced the FFA Cup. It was a good atmosphere here tonight, it was an event put on very well by the people here, so congratulations to them.
"I'm pleased about where we've started in terms of our performance. It was good to get that result."
