The surging Jets face one of their toughest tests against a goal-happy Glory at nib on Monday night. It’s a real six-pointer with both clubs chasing a finals finish as we enter the business end of the season.
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Monday, 7 March 2016
Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off:Â 5:00 PM (Local) (8:00 PM (AEDT))
Referee:Â Chris Beath
Assistant Referee 1:Â Anton Shchetinin
Assistant Referee 2:Â Josh Mannella
Fourth Official:Â Adam Fielding
TV Broadcast:Â Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7.30pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 720 ABC Perth, 1233 ABC Newcastle, ABC Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #PERvNEW
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/ticketsÂ
Perth Glory squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 2.Alex GRANT,  4.Shane LOWRY, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Gyorgy SANDOR, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 12.Jerrad TYSON (gk), 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 14.Chris HAROLD, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18.Mitch OXBORROW, 19.Josh RISDON, 21.Kosta PETRATOS, 23.Krisztian VADOCZ, 24.Jamal REINER, 29.Aryn WILLIAMS
**two to be omitted**
Ins:Â 6.Dino DJULBIC (promoted), 24.Jamal REINERS (promoted), 29.Aryn WILLIAMS (promoted)
Outs: 3.Marc WARREN (suspended – 1 week)
Unavailable: 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (knee – indefinite)
Newcastle Jets Squad:Â 1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 2.Daniel MULLEN, 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (C), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Cameron WATSON, 7.Enver ALIVODIC, 8.Mateo POLJAK, 9.Milos TRIFUNOVIC, 10.LEONARDO, 14.Mitch COOPER, 16.Steven UGARKOVIC, 17.Radovan PAVICEVIC, 19.Morten NORDSTRAND, 20.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 24.Nick COWBURN, 28.Ryan KITTO
**two to be omitted**
Ins:Â 17.Radovan PAVICEVIC (promoted), 28.Ryan KITTO (promoted)
Outs:Â Nil
Unavailable: 11.Labinot HALITI (knee –season)
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
If either Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory (both 30 points) fail to win in Round 22, seventh-placed Perth (28) could leapfrog them into the top six.
After winning just one of their opening eight games in 2015/16, Glory’s turnaround has been incredible – overshadowed only by Adelaide United (36), who have surged into second.
But last week, Perth’s club-record winning streak came to an end after five games, as the men in purple lost 2-1 at leaders Western Sydney Wanderers.
Lowe’s team can bounce back when they host the Jets – with Perth having won their past eight matches against Newcastle in all competitions.
Having lost just once in their past nine home matches, Glory will be favourites but a loss will see Scott Miller’s Newcastle (26) move into seventh. The Jets haven’t lost in four games.
In team news, Glory left-back Marc Warren is suspended.
OPTA DATA
- Glory are currently enjoying an undefeated streak of 12 matches against the Jets, by far the longest in this fixtures history.
- Perth exploded to a club record 6-1 win in their last match against Newcastle and as a result have scored 10 goals in their last three games against them.
- The Jets have resurrected their season with back-to-back wins in the A-League and will now be shooting for a third straight win in the competition for the first time November 2013.
ROUTE TO GOAL
After being held scoreless four times in the opening eight rounds of the season, Perth have been piling on the goals since New Year’s Day to be the second-most prolific team this term with 36 goals.
In their last home game, Glory had six separate goal-scorers in a 6-3 triumph over Brisbane Roar.
Newcastle’s defence will almost certainly be under the pump at nib Stadium.
In February, Chris Harold and Andy Keogh (both 3 goals) have led the way up front for Glory.
The Jets have also rediscovered their shooting boots, with Milos Trifunovic (3) and Morten Nordstrand (2) the most clinical.
Like most matches, the midfield battle will be critical to this contest.
If Glory can find Diego Castro and Nebojsa Marinkovic in space in the final third, they will go a long way to winning the game, but lose track of Leonardo and Nordstrand, and the hosts might be in trouble.
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Steven Ugarkovic. Newcastle’s defensive midfielder had only scored twice previously in his professional career before he struck the winner in last week’s F3 Derby.
FORM LINES
Perth Glory: WWWWL
Newcastle Jets: LWDWW
PREDICTION
Perth Glory 3-1 Newcastle Jets
