Yellow fever ... Jacob Burns is carded yet again. Source: AAP
Even with the threat of an early suspension hanging over him, Perth hardman Jacob Burns is refusing to take a backward step when Glory come up against Alessandro del Piero and Sydney FC this weekend.
The 34-year-old has picked up yellow cards in all three of Glory's games so far - two more and he will be banned for one match. That puts him on pace for one of the quickest suspensions in A-League history.
Perth, who are second behind Adelaide only on goals scored, face Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium on Sunday afternoon and defensive midfielder Burns plans to be in close proximity of Italian legend del Piero who Glory see as Sydney's driving force.
But that doesn't mean he will go out of his way to cut him down to size - far from it.
"I'm a hard player but a fair player," said Burns.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | Perth | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Newcastle | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | Wellington | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | Brisbane | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | Central Coast | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | Heart | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 8 | Sydney | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 9 | Victory | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -5 | 3 |
| 10 | Western Sydney | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 1 |
"I don't deliberately go out there to kick anyone.
"I wouldn't be going in there with the intention of hurting him.
"He's too good looking, anyway."
Sydney players have been talking publically about the "physical" challenge offered by Ian Ferguson's men, but new Glory recruit Scott Jamieson, who played with Sydney last season, drew parallels with his former teammates.
"Since I joined, a lot's been made about how physical we are supposedly, and that we don't play attractive football," said Jamieson.
"I can honestly say that if you compare our football now with what we were doing at Sydney FC last season there's no great difference, and I didn't hear any complaints then."
The defender's argument was backed up by A-League statistics which show that Sydney have committed more fouls than Perth this season - 56 to 49 - and have accrued nine yellow cards, the same as Perth.
In fact Sydney's total of fouls conceded is the highest in the league, ahead of Newcastle (54) and Melbourne Victory (52).
"People need to get away from this image that keeps going around, that Glory are bullies," said Jamieson.
"We compete, of course we do, and we play to win.
"But we're also trying to play football, and win the right way."
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