High-flying Newcastle Jets will get their biggest test yet when they take on champions Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
The Sky Blues have completely dominated this fixture in recent years and will aim to make a statement ahead of the Westfield FFA Cup Final.
Here are the key stats for what shapes to be a blockbuster clash.
- Sydney are undefeated in their last 13 games against Newcastle, have won each of their last eight meetings and have kept a clean sheet in each of their last six clashes.
- Newcastle have picked up just three wins from their previous 17 excursions to Allianz Stadium (D3, L11).
- Sydney will be looking to avoid consecutive Hyundai A-League defeats for the first time since April 2016.
- Newcastle Jets are undefeated in six games (W4, D2), the last time they went longer without defeat was a seven-game streak at the end of 2010 (W5, D2).
- The Sky Blues have received just six yellow cards this campaign, fewer than any other team in the competition.
- Newcastle have scored five goals in the 15 minutes prior to half-time, more than any other team in the competition.
- Milos Ninkovic has been directly involved in four of Sydney’s last six goals against the Jets (3 goals, 1 assist).
- Roy O’Donovan has scored seven goals and assisted one other this season; no other player has been directly involved in more than six goals.
