The seventh-placed Sky Blues blew a golden opportunity to draw level on points with Victory when they conceded two late goals and had to settle for a 2-2 away draw with bottom-of-the-table Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Saturday.

It was their ninth straight A-League game without a win.

The draw left them two points adrift of Victory, who have the chance to expand that lead on Sunday with a home win over Newcastle Jets.

Before that game, Arnold was adamant Sydney could still control their own destiny despite a tricky draw over the three remaining rounds.

All of those matches are against top-six placed sides, away to Brisbane Roar next Saturday and then home fixtures against Adelaide United and Perth Glory.

After Sunday's game, Victory have home matches against fellow finals aspirants Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane, with a trip to Wellington Phoenix sandwiched between those two fixtures.

Arnold is hoping the travelling across the Tasman and two AFC Champions League assignments in South Korea and China will take a toll of Victory.

"They've got a heavier program than us with travel," Arnold said.

"Our travel for the ACL is done now till after the (A-League) grand final.

"Melbourne Victory have to travel twice away in the Champions League plus Wellington away.

"They've got a real heavy program in front of them and we've got obviously tough games.

"But (if we) cut out the mistakes, I'm sure that we can still make the top six."

Arnold was philosophical about the tough schedule Sydney had going into the Mariners game, having played in South Korea less than 72 hours earlier.

He emphasised fatigue wasn't the only issue.

"It's also difficult because you don't get to train together as a team," he said.

"You've got to separate players and split into two groups and there's no time to work on tactics or no time to work on a game plan because 18 players are away and six are back at home."

One positive to emerge from the game in Gosford was another encouraging effort from teenage striker George Blackwood.

He followed up his lively midweek display against Pohang Steelers in the ACL by scoring his first senior goal in his ninth start for the club.

"We've got a lot of faith in George Blackwood and it's great to see him get his first goal in A-League and we're very confident that he'll kick on from here," Arnold said.