So far, there have been 153 Tel Aviv Derby clashes. Maccabi have won 51 times, 46 have ended in draws, and Hapoel have won on 46 occasions. The goal difference is 175-150 in favour of Maccabi.

Hapoel were the only opponents that Maccabi failed to beat last season. Indeed, in the two seasons following Hapoel’s promotion — last season and in 1990-91 — each of the two clashes in each campaign ended in draws.

Maccabi have now played their last eight Derby matches without defeat but the record is 10 and it was achieved in April 1994.

Wednesday’s clash will be the 106th Derby to be played at Bloomfield. Hapoel have been the home team on 66 occasions and Maccabi 39 times. The Bloomfield record favours Hapoel, who have won 38 times. Maccabi have won 32 times and 35 clashes ended in a draw. Maccabi edge the goal count 110-109.

Other stadiums to have hosted the Derby are Basa (the ground that stood on the site before Bloomfield was built) 18 times, Ramat Gan 16 times, Maccabiah Stadium nine times and Netanya and Moshava Stadiums, twice each.

Nir Klinger, who coached Maccabi between 2002-03 and 2005-06, will face Maccabi as a coach for the 15th time. His record against the club is two wins, three draws and nine defeats. Maccabi have a 32-14 goal record against him.

Maccabi’s biggest margin of victory (5-0) has been achieved twice, in 1969-70 and 2016-17.

The most common result is 1-0 and has been achieved 34 times by each club. There have been 26 goalless draws, including the abandoned match in 2014-15.

Maccabi have overturned a deficit in the Derby seven times and Hapoel have done so four times.

The most close-run change in fortunes came in 2013-14 when Maccabi came back from a goal down as Eran Zahavi scored in the 89th and 93rd minutes.

Maccabi have fielded 354 players in league Derby matches, 76 of whom have scored. Miko Belo holds the record for most Derby appearances, at 33. Benny Tabak and Avi Nimni are equal second on 29.

The late Shiye Glazer holds the record for most goals scored for Maccabi, at 11. Avi Nimni is second with eight goals and Eli Driks and Eran Zahavi have each scored seven times.

Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Dan Glazer told reporters at the pre-Derby news conference on Tuesday that the significance of the clash against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Bloomfield was something he had been aware of since he joined the club at age six.

“I have been at Maccabi since age six so I know the importance of this game but at the end of the day it’s another league match and three points are on the line, we will do our best to take them,” he said.

“Hapoel Tee l Aviv are tough opponents, they are well organised at the back so we will have to work very hard. In most of our matches we have had to break down tough defences and this will be no different. We will need to find a way to break Hapoel down too.”

Glazer added that regardless, “A Derby is very special for us, as it is for any fan, it’s always a tough match regardless of Hapoel’s position in the standings.”

He said Maccabi would just have to “play our normal game, be aggressive and show that we want this victory more than our opponents.”

He was confident about the outcome.

“I know we can do it, we have been well prepared, we have worked a lot on tactics and each player knows what he needs to do, there is no element of luck here.”

December 4 (Wednesday): Hapoel Tel Aviv v. Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bloomfield at 20:15. The Tel Aviv Derby, always a highlight on the local sporting calendar returns to its natural home at Bloomfield after three seasons, and probably more than for a long period, passions will be running high. Maccabi, who are the away team, will look to continue their great run of late that has seen them climb to the top of the TASE Premier League standings. They appear favorites to secure a first victory over their arch rivals since 2016.

December 7: Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Maccabi Netanya, Bloomfield at 19:50. Teams will be back in action after a midweek round of matches, and this time it will be a home clash against faltering Maccabi Netanya in the 13th round, the final round of the first phase of the league.

December 14: Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Ness Ziona, 15:00 Bloomfield. As in the opening round, the second phase of the league season will be against Ness Ziona, whom Maccabi beat 2-0 as the away team at Hamoshava Stadium on the opening day of action in August. Kickoff time makes this fixture ideal for a family afternoon outing.

December 21: State Cup –  Hapoel Umm el-Fahm v. Maccabi Tel Aviv, Afula at 19:50. The State Cup welcomes the top divisions in the eighth round and this fixture is certain to be an intriguing clash against one of the surprise teams in the Second Division this season. Umm el-Fahm will be no pushovers and have some experienced players among their ranks, including Eran Levy, Dovev Gabai, Tadas Kianskas and Oz Raly.

December 24 (Tuesday): Bnei Yehuda v. Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bloomfield at 20:15. Another mid-week round sees Maccabi as the away team against Bnei Yehuda in the minor Tel Aviv derby. The previous clash between the two was the first for Maccabi at the new Bloomfield and ended in a goalless draw.

December 28: Maccabi Tel Aviv v. Hapoel Kfar Sava, Bloomfield at 15:00. The final league game of the year will be another afternoon kickoff. Maccabi beat their opponents 1-0 in their first meeting this season played at Hamoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva in September.

One of our main projects for the coming month will be to choose Maccabi’s goal of the decade and you will be fully involved in making that choice, so be prepared for this and for other interesting Maccabi content on the web site and the phone app.