Sydney FC defender Alex Wilkinson claims his side has a ‘mental edge’ over Wanderers for SCG derby

BUOYED by a flattering 3-0 win in an FFA Cup semi-final and an overbearing record in A-League clashes, Sydney FC are feeling bold enough to kick off the mind games ahead of this weekend’s Sydney derby.

Wilkinson has plenty of confidence ahead of the derby. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

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WITH the predictability of a metronome, the mind games have begun ahead of the first derby of the season.

Buoyed by a rather flattering 3-0 scoreline in the FFA Cup semi-final against Western Sydney, as well as an overbearing record in A-League clashes between the two rivals, the biggest noise continues to come from Sydney FC.

Even mild-mannered centrehalf Alex Wilkinson couldn’t help but join the mood, claiming the Sky Blues have a “mental edge” over the Wanderers — despite both sides opening the season with 1-1 draws away from home.

Wilkinson has plenty of confidence ahead of the derby. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Sydney have lost just one derby in the last 14, and inflicted several heavy defeats on the Wanderers in the past two years — the period Wilkinson has been at the club since joining from Melbourne City.

“Obviously the belief when we come up against the Wanderers is very good at the moment because of the record we’ve got, so that gives us a little bit of a mental edge there I suppose,” Wilkinson said.

“After beating them a couple of weeks ago we’ll go into the game very, very confident.

“(But) it’s not a magic formula just against them. I think the last two seasons we’ve been quite good against a lot of teams.”

The derby will mark Sydney’s first foray onto the SCG while Allianz Stadium is rebuilt, and Wilkinson professed himself unconcerned with the oval shape of the venue — and the cricket pitch at its centre.

“We had a run there last week and the pitch is beautiful, it’s fantastic,” Wilkinson said. “They are fixing the middle part of the cricket pitch and they are assuring us that will be fine as well, which is great.

“I’m really looking forward to getting 30,000-plus there for the derby and really experiencing that atmosphere, it’s going to be special.”

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Originally published as Sydney FC defender Alex Wilkinson claims his side has a ‘mental edge’ over Wanderers for SCG derby