Wednesday’s late resumption of the Melbourne Derby has set the stage for a huge weekend of A-League action! Adelaide United will take on Sydney FC in the match of the round, while Melbourne City have the chance to move one step closer to securing the Premier’s plate.
Check out our Matchday 23 preview and A-League betting tips below.
2022-23 A-League: Round 23 Preview & Betting Tips
Western United vs Central Coast Mariners
Friday 7th April, 3.00pm (AEST)
Incredibly, Western United are still in the hunt for a finals berth, and they will take on the third-placed Mariners on Good Friday.
After three straight wins, United have gone two games without a victory, with poor defence responsible for that.
Three goals conceded last weekend takes the total to 40, the second most in the league, so the Mariners will be looking to capitalise on a shaky backline tomorrow.
Speaking of the Mariners, Central Coast have also been inconsistent lately, alternating between wins and losses over the last month.
Nevertheless, Central Coast will be confident heading into this match, having defeated Western United in three of their last four meetings.
The Mariners are also coming off a 4-1 win over Brisbane, and have named an unchanged squad, so I think they will take the points on neutral soil in Ballarat.
Central Coast Mariners to Win
$2.24 (2 Units)
Adelaide United vs Sydney FC
Friday 7th April, 5.00pm (AEST)
A red hot Adelaide side will be full of confidence when they take to the field on Friday evening.
United have won their last four games and now sit well clear of the chasing pack in second, behind only Melbourne City.
With 10 goals and 10 assists, Craig Goodwin has been Adelaide’s key man in attack, and the defensive unit has also been solid across the campaign.
Conversely, Sydney are lucky to be in the top six after a poor run of form. The Sky Blues have won just one of their last five matches, leaving them with a negative win/loss ledger.
However, Sydney have not lost to Adelaide in six previous outings, so they’re a decent chance in this one despite their underdog status.
In saying that, I can’t see Sydney matching Adelaide’s potency in attack, and given the venue for this fixture I’m siding with the home team.
Adelaide United to Win
$2.28 (2 Units)
Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets
Saturday 8th April, 5.00pm (AEDT)
Two struggling teams will clash on Saturday evening, with Brisbane looking to lift themselves off the foot of the table.
Despite scoring just 20 goals, the least in the competition, the Roar have managed to chalk up a couple of wins recently, but they will need to hit the back of the net more often if they are a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon.
Newcastle are a vulnerable opponent this week, having gone winless in five previous matches. The Jets have had no trouble scoring in recent weeks, but their defence has been poor and it has cost them.
These teams have traded blows in recent years, with Newcastle coming out 4-0 winners in January.
How much have things changed in the following couple of months? Who knows, but I think Brisbane will make it tougher for the Jets on Saturday and come out with at least one point.
Macarthur FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday 8th April, 7.45pm (AEST)
Macarthur will be desperate not to embarrass themselves for the third straight time this season in this matchup with the Wanderers.
The Wanderers, who have been the superior team across the season as a whole, have destroyed the Bulls 4-0 in each of their two clashes to date, although both were at the comfort of their home at CommBank Stadium.
On top of their head-to-head success, the Wanderers also come into Round 23 in the better form of the pair. They’ve won three of their last five league matches compared to the Bulls who have won only once in that span.
Needless to say, the Wanderers will be the more confident team when they travel to Western Sydney, and I expect them to taste success once again despite being the visiting team on this occasion.
WS Wanderers to Win
$2.10 (3 Units)
Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory
Sunday 9th April, 3.00pm (AEST)
Two teams on the outside of the top six looking in will meet on Easter Sunday, with Melbourne Victory playing hosts to Perth Glory in an intriguing matchup.
Despite being 22 rounds into the season, just 11 points separate the sides placed between 3rd and 12th on the ladder, which means both teams in this matchup are still in the hunt for a finals berth.
Melbourne Victory have clicked into gear in recent weeks and are riding a mini two-game win streak ahead of this one. Similarly, Glory are undefeated in their last three league matches and have claimed maximum points in two of them.
There isn’t a whole lot separating these teams in terms of ladder position as well as recent form. However, at home where they’ll have a huge crowd behind them in a pivotal game, I have to give the slight edge to Victory.
Melbourne Victory to Win
$1.86 (1.5 Units)
Melbourne City vs Wellington Phoenix
Monday 10th April, 4.00pm (AEST)
Closing out another round in the A-League will be the fixture between Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix on a special 4pm (AEST) timeslot on Easter Monday!
Melbourne City will be hoping to get themselves back onto the winners list after a couple of wayward results in recent weeks. They have a 2-2-2 record over their past six matches, which is their worst record over such a span this season.
Wellington will also be eyeing off a win after a couple of poor performances in their last two fixtures. They enter this round having lost their last two and conceding a whopping seven goals in the process.
There’s been goals galore whenever these teams have met in recent years; in fact, each of their last five meetings have seen 3+ goals scored.
Neither team has been able to keep a clean sheet recently, and when you couple that with the history between these teams, it’s fair to assume both teams should be finding the back of the net in this one.
Both Teams to Score
$1.60 (3 Units)
