Graham Arnold has declared the Sydney derby the most lopsided in Australian football after Sydney FC surged from behind to topple Western Sydney 3-1.

Adrian Mierzejewski produced another masterclass as driving rain hit a soggy Allianz Stadium pitch, netting a double before Bobo struck late to bring the Sky Blues within touching distance of defending the Premiers’ Plate. Win their next two games and it will be theirs, while the Wanderers continue their fight to stay in the top six.

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The result in front of 25,211 marked the Sky Blues’ eighth derby win and 12th undefeated from the last 13 meetings. “Stats don’t lie, and this is a pretty lopsided derby – I think the most lopsided derby in Australian football,” Arnold said. “Everyone talks about fatigue and that we had a [ACL] game midweek ... but we were ready to play.”

However, Josep Gombau’s side reinstated some pride following the last 5-0 derby thrashing. And it was only through former Sydney FC goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic that Mierzejewski was denied a hat-trick, pulling off an outstanding eighth-minute save in the face of his old supporter base.

Two minutes later Andrew Redmayne’s howler made for a starkly different situation up the other end. The gloveman spilled a Raul Llorente ball, allowing Oriol Riera to tap his sixth goal from the last five games into an open net.

The horrid conditions sucked out some form but it was more than replaced by fire. Quite literally, in the form of the two flares ignited in the Wanderers’ supporter bay, but equally so on the pitch.

Matt Simon, on a rare start for rested skipper Alex Brosque, went at it with Michael Thwaite all night. A penalty appeal came after the Wanderers defender put his hand in Simon’s back, though replays showed the feisty striker had gone down easily. But it was Thwaite’s foul on Ninkovic that gave the Sky Blues an equaliser just before halftime – and Mierzejewski ensured the ensuing free kick found its desired destination.

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“This free kick was a good free kick and made the difference,” Gombau said. “We started the second half well but they have a lot of quality players.”

After the break Mierzejewski was at it again. Ninkovic crossed into a busy box and Simon knocked it into his path for another worthy finish and his 12th goal of the season.

Suddenly behind, the Wanderers increased the pressure, but by the time Bobo stroked home the hosts’ third the match was dead and buried. Ninkovic ran it inside and produced the deftest of backheels for the Brazilian, who buried his 21st goal of the season in the bottom-right corner.