The A-League action heats up over the festive period, with football from Friday to Wednesday to keep A-League fans enthralled. Only three points separate 3rd place from 10th place, there’s plenty of teams battling for spots in the top six! We bring you our best bets for key fixtures in Round 10 below.
A-League 2025-26: Round 10 Preview & Betting Tips
Melbourne City vs Perth Glory
AAMI Park, Sunday 28th December, 7:00pm AEDT
Melbourne City will be looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss in the Melbourne Derby when they welcome Perth Glory to AAMI Park. Having won three straight games, Perth have fallen right back to earth with back to back losses to drop to tenth place. City are going through a rough patch results wise with just one win from their last five games, however they still have a great statistical profile. The defending champions have been strong in key statistical areas, ranking among the league leaders for shots inside the box and expected goals, while their defensive numbers have also tightened after a shaky start to the season.
At home, they have dominated possession and territory, regularly pinning opponents deep and forcing sustained pressure. Perth Glory, meanwhile, continue to search for consistency, having struggled defensively against the league’s stronger attacking sides. They rank near the bottom for goals conceded and shots allowed, and away from home they have often been second best in midfield battles.
While Glory are capable of moments in transition, their inability to control games for long periods has hurt them, particularly against sides that move the ball quickly between the lines. Given Melbourne City’s depth, structure and home form, this fixture appears well suited to a controlled City performance, with the hosts expected to dictate tempo and generate enough chances to secure all three points. City have a dominant recent record against Perth, with wins of 4-0, 1-0, 5-0 and 8-0 across their last four games against the Glory, expect another dominant performance from the defending champions.
Melbourne City -1
$2.60 (1.5 Units)
Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix
AAMI Park, Monday 29th December, 7:00pm AEDT
Back to back wins has breathed life back into Melbourne Victory’s season after winning a thrilling Melbourne Derby in stoppage time last week. Victory are now in ninth place after being bottom of the table just a fortnight ago, and could be as high as fourth by the end of the round if results go their way. A 3-1 victory over the Mariners last week ended a two game losing streak for Wellington, who are in eighth place, but on equal points as the Victory.
Victory’s return to form has come off some much needed improvement from their defence. After being one of the worst defences in the competition through the first five rounds of the season, Victory have conceded just two goals across their last four games. Wellington have been the second worst defence in the A-League this season, having conceded 15 goals.
This game will come down to which defence can hold firm for the longest, given the inconsistencies both teams have had this year. Given the way the last few games Melbourne Victory have played in, expect this to be a dour slog, as the Victory try and slow the game down as much as possible. Given that Wellington have been one of the more potent attacking sides in the league this season, the Victory will look the play a very defensive brand that is going to lead to a stalemate.
Central Coast Mariners vs Brisbane Roar
Polytec Stadium, Friday 19th December, 8:00pm AEDT
Central Coast Mariners return to Gosford knowing Round 10 represents a crucial opportunity to halt a frustrating run of results when they face a Brisbane Roar side that has quietly built one of the most reliable defensive records in the competition. The Mariners have shown flashes of their attacking potential but have struggled with efficiency, ranking low for goals scored despite creating a reasonable volume of chances. The Mariners haven’t won a game since Round 4, and sit bottom of the table in what has been another shocking season.
Defensive lapses at key moments have also cost them valuable points, leaving them anchored in the lower half of the table. Brisbane Roar, by contrast, have built their season on defensive discipline and structure, conceding the fewest goals in the league (5), while ranking highly for interceptions and defensive duels won. The Mariners on the other hand are the second worst defensive side having conceded 15 goals, and if they can’t turn around their form, they’re going to be in a lot of strife.
Although Roar’s attack has not always been prolific, their ability to control games without the ball has allowed them to grind out results, particularly against sides short on confidence. Unless Central Coast can significantly lift their conversion rate, this matchup shapes as another difficult outing against a Roar side that continues to frustrate opponents. Brisbane will win in comfortable fashion thanks to the strength of their defence against a struggling Mariners side.
Brisbane Roar to Win
$2.10 (2 Units)
