McIlroy is relishing the chance to win the event for the third time after moving within two shots of the lead on Saturday heading into the final round at Emirates Golf Club.

The Northern Irishman carded a 69 on day three of the lucrative DP World Tour event to get to 10-under at the event he won in 2009 and 2015, in pursuit of Harding, who maintained his halfway advantage with a 71.

McIlroy's Ryder Cup teammate Tommy Fleetwood was at nine-under, a shot clear of three more members of that European team in defending champion Paul Casey, Tyrrell Hatton and Bernd Wiesberger.

Queensland’s Adam Scott was back in the pack in joint 20th position at four-under for the tournament, alongside The Open champ Collin Morikawa, after a one-under 71.

RIGHT: Justin Harding leads by two with 18 holes to play in Dubai. PHOTO: Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images.

Scott had another mixed day, the highlight being a chip-in for eagle at the par-5 13th after he'd narrowly missed the water with his approach.

His compatriot Lucas Herbert was another shot further back after his third round 70 while fellow Scott’s fellow Queenslander Maverick Antcliff was one-under for the event following a 71.

But all eyes will be on McIlroy in round four as the four-time major winner looks to convert his improved ball-striking into another win.

The 32-year-old said he had "hit the ball as good as I've done in a long time" after round two and that certainly looked to be true on the back nine as he struck three stunning second shots into par-5s that set up an eagle and two birdies.

He made two further birdies on the front nine to go with three bogeys and was excited to have another chance to complete his Desert Classic hat-trick after narrowly losing out to Haotong Li in 2018.

"I'm excited," he said. "Had a really good chance in 2018 and let it slip through my fingers there. Good to give myself another opportunity."

Harding had looked set to fall away as he turned in 36 with eight pars and a bogey on the front nine, with Hatton and Lee Westwood surging to the top of the leaderboard.

But the English duo stumbled over the line in rounds of 73 and 71 respectively, allowing Harding to capitalise with birdies on the 12th and 13th.

"Had a really good chance in 2018 and let it slip through my fingers there. Good to give myself another opportunity." - Rory McIlroy.

"At the end of the day, I've just got to go out and keep doing what I'm doing and make a couple of birdies and shoot 70, 69, something like that," said Harding.

"Make them shoot five- or six-under-par and credit to them.

"I'm quite happy with it and go again tomorrow."

Another South African Erik van Rooyen was alongside Fleetwood at nine-under, with England's Richard Bland in the group at eight-under, one ahead of Westwood and three-time major champion Padraig Harrington.