Saturday 12 November, 5 pm at McDonald Jones Stadium (Last match before the 2022 FIFA World Cup).
Newcastle Jets return to home turf this Saturday and have the firepower to match it with league leaders Melbourne City.
It’s the last chance to catch the Jets in action before the A-League takes a four-week break during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Melbourne City are undefeated going into Saturday’s clash at McDonald Jones Stadium, yet the Jets will have a sniff of the potential chinks in the armour of the competition leaders.
Newcastle have established something of a fortress at McDonald Jones Stadium, winning their opening fixtures there before two tough on-the-road encounters.
Premiers’ City already loom as A-League favourites cementing their position on top of the ladder after trouncing Perth Glory 4-nil last week.
But Melbourne looked vulnerable in their previous match against Wellington Phoenix where they stumbled to a 2-all draw.
For the Jets, Beka Mikeltadze looms large. The Georgian returned to the Newcastle starting line-up following a groin strain in game week one against Perth Glory when he scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute.
The Jets will need a solution to stop last year’s Golden Boot winner Jamie Maclaren who has scored in every match this season, notching up seven goals from six matches.
Angus Thurgate and Brandon O’Neill continue to forge a partnership in midfield, and they will be tested from the penetrating runs of Socceroo Mathew Leckie and Valon Berisha.
Melbourne’s attacking duo of Maclaren and Leckie have been named in Graham Arnold’s 26-man FIFA World Cup squad and will be packing their bags for Qatar to represent Australia on the world stage.
New recruit James McGarry made a big impact in his last match at McDonald Jones Stadium with a goal and a man-of-the-match performance in their 3-1 win against the Wellington Phoenix. The New Zealand left-back has a big engine and can create the extra man in attack to unleash a thunderous left foot.
With both teams carrying plenty of firepower in attack, McDonald Jones Stadium seems destined for goals on Saturday 12 November, kick-off 5pm.
By David Wigley.
