RIYADH: Al-Hilal鈥檚 deadly striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is out to bring down Al-Nassr in the Roshn Saudi League鈥檚 first Riyadh derby of the season on Friday. 

Mitrovic has scored 11 goals in 12 games since signing from Fulham in the summer 鈥� and was recently dubbed 鈥渕erciless鈥� by Al-Hilal manager Jorge Jesus.

Only Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is ahead of the Serbian striker in the Saudi top flight鈥檚 scoring tables, with 15 goals in 13 league games to date during this campaign.

Al-Hilal will go into Friday night鈥檚 derby at the King Fahd International Stadium four points ahead of their Riyadh rivals. However, 鈥渕erciless Mitrovic鈥� has vowed to keep on the goal-hunting trail. 

鈥淚 want to score goals all the time and I鈥檝e been lucky to score a lot of goals so far,鈥� he said. 鈥淗opefully there are more to come. It鈥檚 my job to score goals. It鈥檚 what I do and what I love to do.

鈥淪coring a goal is something every striker dreams of and every striker wants that feeling, that adrenaline of scoring game by game,鈥� Mitrovic added. 鈥淭he more you score, the better you feel, and I have scored a lot 鈥� I could have scored more, though. It can always be better. There are still a lot of games to play, and big games, such as the derby, so hopefully that鈥檒l include a lot of goals.鈥�

The powerful No. 9 has netted 18 goals in 19 games for Al-Hilal across all competitions this season 鈥� the exact same tally as Al-Nassr rival Ronaldo. Mitrovic鈥檚 phenomenal scoring record includes two hat-tricks 鈥� his memorable Roshn Saudi League treble in the 4-3 triumph over Karim Benzema鈥檚 Al-Ittihad, and in the 6-0 win against Mumbai City in the AFC Champions League.

Each goal has been greeted with deafening chants of 鈥淢itro鈥檚 on fire,鈥� to the tune of Eurodance classic 鈥淔reed From Desire,鈥� from the adoring Al-Hilal fans. Mitrovic is not only delighted that the Al-Hilal faithful have adopted the song from his time in England but is also overjoyed to hear it as often as possible.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect that but it鈥檚 amazing, to be honest 鈥� every game it鈥檚 a full stadium and I score goals and you can hear a big roar,鈥� he said. 鈥淥f course, I like the song. It鈥檚 something (I鈥檝e had) since Newcastle and it鈥檚 something that every time I score the people sing, so it鈥檚 something I鈥檝e gotten used to. I鈥檓 glad they鈥檝e adopted this here and always glad to hear it.鈥�

The Riyadh derby between current Roshn Saudi League leaders Al-Hilal and second-placed Al-Nassr kicks off at 9 p.m. Saudi time on Friday. The match at the 68,000-capacity King Fadh International Stadium is sold out, while millions will watch the game as it is broadcast across the globe.