We’re set for another big weekend of action in the A-League and several potentially crucial matches will be contested.
Can anyone stop Melbourne City? Adelaide United will attempt to on Thursday night, before Wellington Phoenix give it a crack on Sunday.
You can find a preview of every match and our A-League Matchweek 21 Tips below.
The runaway competition leaders will be confident of recording yet another win, this time at the expense of Adelaide United on Thursday night.
City’s recent run of form has been nothing short of outstanding. They’re undefeated since April 1st and have strode out to a handy 8-point lead over the Central Coast Mariners.
Adelaide themselves remain in the top four, but they’re winless through the last four matches and clearly, this is their biggest test to date.
I think the Reds can get on the scoresheet, but I can’t picture them winning.
The Bulls’ bid to make the finals in their first season continues on Friday night, and they have opened clear favourites to deliver the lowly Victory another defeat.
Macarthur haven’t been losing much, but they squandered several good winning chances through April and earlier this month; finally breaking back into the winner’s stall over the Victory in the reverse leg of this fixture last week.
The Victory have failed to make anything of an impact all season and the end of the campaign simply cannot arrive quickly enough.
I’m more than happy to follow the result of last weekend’s meeting into this one.
Sydney FC are offered another terrific opportunity to win when they travel to Geelong on Saturday.
The Sky Blues have been a typically strong and consistent performer all season, and while they are winless in their last two matches, this represents a terrific opportunity to bounce back.
Western United pushed up and into the top six and looked to be finding form at the right time, but they are now winless in their last four, losing each of their last three.
This is two different classes of side and there’s still plenty of meat on the bone for Sydney FC at $1.75.
The F3 Derby is usually a good contest, and betting suggests we’ll be treated to just that on Saturday night.
I personally don’t understand it.
The Jets are anchored to the bottom of the table and are winless since February.
The Mariners meanwhile, while not quite as impressive as they were, remain second in overall standings and are streets ahead of the Jets on class and ability.
More than happy to dive into the $2.60 that is available for them at publish.
City are in action for a second this weekend and on Sunday, the Wellington Phoenix are the side on the chopping block.
We’ll have a better idea of what to expect from City after they play on Thursday night, but I’m anticipating they’ll remain on the same trajectory, and are clearly favourites to win this regardless.
They’ve been forced to stay in Australia for most of the season and we all owe the Phoenix a debt of gratitude for allowing the A-League to continue at full strength.
While I’m sure they’ll play with plenty of heart, I’m not confident they’ll win.
The real match of the round looks like materialising between Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar at the home of the former on Sunday evening.
This will also be the Reds’ second match of the round, and they’ll of course be entering it off the back of what is sure to be a tough road trip against the ladder-leading City.
Brisbane Roar’s resurgence has taken something of a hit recently: they suffered a disappointing loss to City two back and were held to a draw by the Mariners on Wednesday night.
To be fair, this is a tough run of matches for them, but they’ve been in every contest for the full ninety minutes, I think they’ll be in this one the whole was as well.
Another quality contest looks like materialising in Perth on Sunday night, and there is a genuine case to be built for both the Glory and the Wanderers.
The Glory are all but out of contention this season, but they’ve found a little purple patch (pun intended) of form, and they are seeking a hat-trick of wins when they step out on Sunday.
Their 3-0 demolition of Western United on Wednesday was something to behold, and a repeat of that effort would find them tough to beat again.
The Wanderers are still on the edge of a finals berth, and they too are seeking their third win in succession.
The Perth home ground advantage is about as good as it gets in the A-League, but the Wanderers clearly have more to play for – I cannot split them.