The tantalising prospect of being known as the most dominant team in A-League history won't be the distraction that leads to Sydney FC's undoing, according to Michael Zullo.
At nine points ahead of their nearest rivals two-thirds into the season, the defender has declared his side's belief in going undefeated to win the championship is sky high.
Zullo has ditched the usual mid-week rhetoric which has previously focused on the importance of taking nothing for granted and playing week to week.
Rather than a distraction, the 28-year-old is using an opportunity to break a swathe of A-League records on the way to being crowned champions as motivation.
"It's [going undefeated] become a realistic goal now. It's not a dream and it's not a figment of our imagination anymore," Zullo told AAP.
"If we achieve that goal, then we will also achieve the goal of winning the league.
"The reality is, if we go the next nine to 10 games doing the same things we've been doing all year and staying concentrated, we'll achieve our goal of winning the premiership and then go on to win the grand final.
"It could have been a distraction if you'd said it in preseason. But for me, it helps to motivate me to aspire to something really special. You don't get too many opportunities to do anything like this in your career."
The Sky Blues -- who sit on 44 points ahead of second-placed Melbourne Victory -- can record the most points in a 10-team season (57) with nine rounds remaining.
They are two games short of the unbeaten games record, and could become the only team to complete a regular season without defeat.
The Sky Blues head home to Allianz Stadium on Thursday to meet a Wellington Phoenix side humbled 3-1 by the Western Sydney Wanderers on the weekend.
Zullo missed Sydney's 0-0 away draw with Brisbane on Friday due to suspension.
His absence was a double-edged sword -- he'll be fresher than his teammates who had to endure the Queensland heat, but faces a battle with his replacement David Carney for his spot at left-back.
"When you're in a competitive environment like we have this year, every single training session is about going out there and training for your spot because there's someone at your heels," Zullo said.
"That's what's push our fitness and our training and our team to the next level.
"Nothing will change for me this week. It's all in Arnie's [coach Graham Arnold] hands and whoever plays will do the job."