A league - Round 6 - Sydney vs Newcastle (Sat 29 Sep - 7pm)

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Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets Date: Saturday September 29 Kick-off (local time): 7.00pm Venue: Sydney Football Stadium Radio coverage: ABC 1233 (Newcastle) Head-to-head Eight league meetings: Sydney - 2 wins, Jets - 2 wins, 4 draws Previous meeting Sydney 2 Newcastle 3 (Parramatta Stadium, Pre-Season Cup playoffs, August 2007) Past five results Sydney: Loss - Draw - Draw - Loss - Win Newcastle: Draw - Draw - Win - Win - Draw The possible return of Juninho and Stuart Musialik's citing for using abusive language have dominated the build-up to second-placed Newcastle's attempt to find its maiden Hyundai A-League victory at Sydney Football Stadium. Having jumped the gun to report the return of Sydney FC's Brazilian marquee signing from a shoulder injury a fortnight ago reports on Juninho's recall to a side desperate for his creativity and effort have been cagier this week. But all indications from Sydney hint at the 34-year-old, who has been back in virtually full training for two weeks now, making his first appearance since round two against Newcastle on Saturday night. However, the participation of important midfielder Musialik, who scored the goal-of-the-round in the 2-2 draw with Melbourne, remains in some doubt with a Football Federation Australia charge to answer on Thursday night. The uncertainty hanging over the 22-year-old Qantas Olyroo will have coach Gary van Egmond pondering his options with one possibility shifting Adam Griffiths into central midfield and starting debutant Stephen Laybutt in central defence alongside Jade North. Paul Kohler and Jobe Wheelhouse will also come in contention as will former Mariners skipper Noel Spencer who is yet to make his Hyundai A-League bow for the Jets. The unbeaten Jets' previous appearance at SFS was their minor semi-final first leg loss last season since when they have remained unbeaten for seven straight matches. One more would create a new club record. Qantas Socceroos duo Mark Milligan and Alex Brosque found the net for the hosts in that semi-final win with Milligan not considered a serious doubt to retain his place against Newcastle despite spraining his thumb at training on Tuesday. The only decision coach Branko Culina needs to make on the Qantas Olyroos captain is whether to keep him in central defence, a selection dilemma perhaps made easier by nature of Tony Popovic's struggle to shake off a calf niggle. Robbie Middleby will miss up to four weeks because of a thigh strain while unfortunate midfielder Mike Enfield's season is over after knee reconstruction surgery last week with his injury freeing up a berth in Sydney's roster. Culina also adds left-sided defender Nikolas Tsattalios and teenage forward Ben Vidaic to a strong 19-player squad.

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Re: A league - Round 6 - Sydney vs Newcastle (Sat 29 Sep - 7pm) Sydney FC squad: 1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 2.Iain FYFE, 3.Nikolas TSATTALIOS, 4.Mark RUDAN, 6.Tony POPOVIC (captain), 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH, 9.David ZDRILIC, 10.Steve CORICA, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 12.PATRICK, 13.Ben VIDAIC, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 15.Terry McFLYNN, 16.Mark MILLIGAN, 18.Adam CASEY, 21.Adam BIDDLE, 22.JUNINHO, 23.Ufuk TALAY, 30.Matthew NASH (gk). *four to be omitted In: Nikolas Tsattalios (promoted), Tony Popovic (return from injury), Ben Vidaic (promoted), Juninho (return from injury). Out: Nil Others Unavailable: Robbie Middleby (quad - 3-4 weeks), Jacob Timpano (thigh - 1-2 weeks), Michael Enfield (knee - indefinite), Ivan Necevski (gk) (ankle - 1-2 weeks). Newcastle Jets Squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 2.Adam GRIFFITHS, 3.Jade NORTH, 5.Stuart MUSIALIK, 8.Matt THOMPSON, 9.Joel GRIFFITHS, 10.Denni, 11.Tarek ELRICH, 12.Paul KOHLER, 13.Adam D’APUZZO, 14.Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 15.Scott TUNBRIDGE, 17.Troy HEARFIELD, 18.Noel SPENCER, 19.Mark BRIDGE, 20.Ben KENNEDY (GK), 21.Mario JARDEL, 23.Jason HOFFMAN, 27.Stephen LAYBUTT. *four to be omitted In: Scott TUNBRIDGE (Promoted), Noel SPENCER (Promoted) Out: Andrew DURANTE (Injury), Jorge DROVANDI (Not Selected) Others Unavailable: Steve EAGLETON (injured) Impending stats, facts and trivia Having not lost any of their previous seven Hyundai A-League matches, the Newcastle Jets will be aiming for a club record eight games without defeat when they come up against Sydney FC. The Jets commenced their current undefeated streak in the second leg of the Hyundai A-League 2007 Finals Series, and the streak includes the 1-1 draw in the Hyundai A-League 2007 Preliminary Final (a match which went to an unsuccessful penalty shoot-out). The last team to defeat Newcastle was Sydney FC (1-2), in week one of the Hyundai A-League 2007 Finals Series.

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Re: A league - Round 6 - Sydney vs Newcastle (Sat 29 Sep - 7pm) Big names ready for Sydney FC Sydney FC coach Branko Culina finds himself in unfamiliar territory ahead of Saturday night's clash with the Newcastle Jets - his frontline players are all available for selection. Marquee signing Juninho has declared himself fit to play after three weeks on the sidelines with a shoulder injury, while skipper Tony Popovic is also available for selection after overcoming a calf injury. And while delighted to have his big-names back on board for the round-six clash, Culina is now left to face some difficult decisions. When pressed further on the likelihood of Juninho's return to the starting side against the Jets, Culina insisted none of his players were assured a spot - not even his marquee Brazilian.

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Re: A league - Round 6 - Sydney vs Newcastle (Sat 29 Sep - 7pm) Jets to make room for Laybutt Newcastle will shuffle its starting 11 against Sydney FC this weekend to accommodate a couple of key injuries and the arrival of former Socceroo Stephen Laybutt. Striker Joel Griffiths is one injury concern, having sat out Jets training sessions for the past couple of weeks with niggling injuries, while injury-riddled defender Andrew Durante is out with a calf problem. The Jets are likely to call on recent recruit and former international defender Laybutt, while marquee striker Mario Jardel may earn his first start for Newcastle. Central defender Adam Griffiths may move into midfield to allow for Laybutt to make his Hyundai A-League debut in the Jet's back four. Jardel will not come into the side as a straight sway for Joel Griffiths, although van Egmond is not ruling out a starting berth for the experienced Brazilian. Despite the injury worries, van Egmond was happy with his team's form at training since last weekend's draw with Melbourne.