Another instalment of the iconic Melbourne Derby will dominate the headlines in the A-League this week. Both teams are in the hunt for a top six berth, setting up another heated contest at AAMI Park. Check out our ‘Matchday 17’ preview and A-League betting tips below.
2023-24 A-League: Round 17 Preview & Betting Tips
Western United vs Newcastle Jets
Friday 16th February, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Western United and Newcastle will go head-to-head in a battle of the cellar dwellers on Friday night, with the teams sitting 12th and 10th, respectively.
United are bottom of the table by a whopping eight points, underlining the poor nature of their performances this season.
Newcastle have fared slightly better but have often been on the wrong side of close affairs, leaving them with a mountain to climb to play finals football.
Once again, I’m shocked that Western United are such clear favourites here, and I have no interest in backing them.
While the Jets present value, I think the draw is a happy medium here.
Sydney FC vs Adelaide United
Saturday 17th February, 6.00pm (AEDT)
Sydney FC will host Adelaide United on Saturday night as they aim to consolidate a top six spot.
The Sky Blues are unbeaten in four matches and toppled the reigning champions 3-1 last weekend, so confidence will be high heading into this one.
Adelaide, on the other hand, have taken just one point from three previous matches and continue to struggle defensively.
This was apparent last weekend, when United draw 3-3 with the struggling Perth Glory.
As such, it’s hard to see the visitors containing Sydney’s attacking talent on Saturday.
Sydney FC to Win
$1.64 (3 Units)
Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory
Saturday 17th February, 7.45pm (AEDT)
The two Melbourne teams – City and Victory – are traditionally powerhouses of the competition, but that has not been true in recent times.
The sides have just one win between them from the previous five rounds, so it’s crucial that they return to the winners list ASAP.
To be fair to the Victory, star striker Bruno Fornaroli has been missing throughout the majority of their form slump.
He is back in town now, and although the Victory lost to Macarthur last weekend, they had 30 shots on Fornaroli’s return.
Importantly, Victory’s defence is far superior to City’s – the teams have conceded 18 and 28 goals, respectively.
Therefore, I’m backing the Victory.
Melbourne Victory to Win
$2.11 (2 Units)
Perth Glory vs Brisbane Roar
Saturday 17th February, 9.45pm (AEDT)
Enjoying their best stretch of the season, Perth Glory will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to five games when they take on Brisbane Roar on Saturday night.
Glory played their part in a six-goal thriller against Adelaide United last weekend, finishing all square at 3-3. They’ve now banged in seven goals from their past two outings which is their best return over a two-game span for a very long time.
However, the defensive struggles are still clearly there for the Glory. They’ve conceded 2+ goals in 12 of their past 13 fixtures which simply isn’t going to get lead to much success.
Elsewhere, the Roar pulled off an unexpected win against Melbourne City last weekend, destroying last season’s runners-up 5-1 at home. They’re now two games unbeaten after drawing with the Phoenix the weekend prior.
Neither of these teams have been able to keep the ball out of the back of their net this season, but it’s the Roar who have shown the slightly more upside. Coming off a couple of very strong performances, they look at decent bet in this one.
Brisbane Roar to Win
$2.62 (1.5 Units)
Macarthur FC vs Wellington Phoenix
Sunday 18th February, 5.00pm (AEDT)
Two of the form teams in the league will come together on Sunday night with Macarthur FC playing hosts to the Wellington Phoenix.
Macarthur handed Melbourne Victory their first loss of the season last weekend when defeating them 1-0 on the road. It was a professional performance from the outset and one that will breed a lot of confidence going forward.
Macarthur are now seven games in a row without a loss and have quickly climbed into third spot on the ladder.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix currently occupy top position in the standings which is something that no one predicted in the pre-season.
They’ve lost only two fixtures this campaign and are also riding a seven-game unbeaten streak.
Both sides would be pleased with their recent form and both will be confident they can come away with a win in this one. However, at home and coming off their best win of the season, I’m happy to give Macarthur the nod.
Macarthur FC to Win
$2.35 (2 Units)
Central Coast Mariners vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Sunday 18th February, 5.00pm (AEDT)
The Mariners’ 12-game unbeaten run came to an end last weekend when they were upset at home by Sydney FC. They lost that one 3-1 after conceding three very early goals.
Still, the defending champions have been in mouth-watering form over the past couple of months and remain in second spot on the ladder despite their last start defeat.
Their upcoming opponents in the Wanderers have been one of the most inconsistent teams this season and come into this fixture off a 3-3 draw against the Jets.
The Wanderers have been unbeaten to string together consecutive wins since late November, yet they’re still inside the top six.
However, the Wanderers current form will make it very difficult to get anything out of Sunday night’s game, and I expect the Mariners to be coming away with three points.
Central Coast Mariners to Win
$1.87 (3 Units)
