KEY POINTS:
Melbourne Victory have given the New Zealand Knights nothing in their two clashes this season. The Ernie Merrick-coached side will be just as miserable at Telstra Stadium on Sunday night.
Fully aware maximum points from the game - the last of the 17th round - will secure them the minor premiership, the runaway Hyundai A-League leaders will be in no mood for charity.
Past records are all in favour of the rampant Victorians.
In two matches this season, both at North Harbour Stadium, Melbourne have cruised to 3-0 and 4-0 victories. Last season they won all three games, scoring eight goals and conceding only three in two odd-goal wins.
Melbourne go into this week's game on the back of a scoreless draw with bitter rivals Sydney FC in front of the biggest crowd to watch a domestic game in this part of the world.
The crowd of 50,333 at the Telstra Dome on Friday night was 7000 more than watched the 2000 final of the old national league in Perth.
The only thing giving the Knights any encouragement is Melbourne's poor recent home record. They have won only one of their last five home matches.
That match was a typically tight top-of-the-table battle with only 14 attempts on goal ( five for Melbourne) and a 5-5 corner count.
After setting a record for the number of consecutive matches scored in, the goals have dried up for Sydney, who played out their second straight 0-0 draw.
It was a low-scoring round, with Newcastle Jets the big winners, claiming a 3-0 away win over Queensland Roar in front of 10,000 at Suncorp Stadium.
Goals in each half to Mark Bridge and a 53rd-minute strike by Joel Griffiths allowed the Jets to bounce back from their 1-1 effort against the Knights a week earlier to join the logjam in third place. All Whites Vaughan Coveny and Stephen Old were second-half substitutes for the Jets.
Melbourne remain 13 points clear of Sydney at the top.
Two points back are Adelaide (who lost ground in being held 1-1 by the Knights), Central Coast and Newcastle. Adelaide, with a plus-two advantage on goal difference, are at home to Newcastle in Friday's key match of the round.
Central Coast kept themselves in contention with a battling 1-0 home win over Perth Glory, with Adam Kwasnik's 12th-minute goal separating the sides.
All Whites Leo Bertos, Jeremy Christie and Adrian Webster again started for Perth, with Christie substituted in the 73rd minute - two minutes after being booked.
The Knights battled well to deny Adelaide at Hindmarsh.
Leilei Gao gave the visitors the lead after 18 minutes and it was not until the 72nd minute when Greg Owens, just on as a substitute, equalised. The home side had five more attempts on goal (18-13) but shared the corners 5-5 and enjoyed 10 per cent more possession.
In other matches in round 17, the last before the short Christmas break, Sydney are at home to Perth and Queensland make the trip down the coast play the Mariners.
