The Western Sydney Wanderers will be heading up to McDonald Jones Stadium this Saturday when they take on the Newcastle Jets in Round 24 of the Hyundai A-League.
Having won both previous clashes with the Wanderers this season, the Jets could complete a season clean sweep of fixtures between the two clubs for the first time ever.
But that would appear a huge task for Ernie Merrick’s side given the Wanderers’ recent form.
Western Sydney have tasted defeat just once in their last six games and will draw level on points with the Jets with a win in the Hunter.
The Wanderers’ good form has come off the back of a goal-glut to Spanish striker Oriol Riera, whose double in the 3-0 drubbing of Melbourne City last weekend means he has scored five goals in his last five outings.
.jpg)
Mid-season recruit Mitchell Duke has also been prominent for the Wanderers, and he was on the score sheet within 21 seconds of coming off the bench in the last meeting between these two, which ended in a 5-1 win to Newcastle.
Merrick conceded his side’s finals hopes are over after their 4-1 defeat in Wellington last Saturday but they’ll still be motivated to end the campaign as strong as possible.
And a strong start against the traveling Wanderers is likely to be the Jets’ best hope of taking all three points.
Newcastle haven’t conceded a first-half goal in any of their last six games at home, a run that dates back to December 2018.
