Adelaide United vs. Macarthur FC – A-League, April 14, 2021

Fourth-place Adelaide and fifth-place Macarthur are locked on 26 points as the two sides prepare to do battle at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday, April 13.

Both teams have enhanced their A-League Finals Series ambitions as of late, with the Reds winning six of their last eight matches and the Bulls winning three of their previous four.

Who will come out on top in this midweek A-League showdown? Read on to find my Adelaide United vs. Macarthur FC prediction and betting pick.

With the home-field advantage on their side, the Reds are favorites heading into Wednesday’s clash. Adelaide has played seven games at Hindmarsh this season and has only lost once – picking up five wins and one draw along the way.

Having said that, the Bulls have traveled well during their maiden A-League campaign. Macarthur has secured five wins in eight away games this term and will be confident of upsetting the A-League odds this week.

Adelaide’s winning streak was never going to last forever, was it? I mean, it always had to come to an end at some point.

The Reds secured six straight victories between mid-February and late March, scoring 16 goals in the process. But following a loss to the Mariners and a draw with the Wanderers, Carl Veart’s men head into Wednesday’s match on a two-match winless run.

The South Australians may have taken just one point from a possible six since their hot streak ended, but there is no need for panic. They were somewhat unlucky to lose to Central Coast and played the entirety of the second half against Western Sydney with ten men.

Given that they only notched 11 wins in 26 games last term, the Reds will be very happy with how things are going at the moment.

Still, they will be wary of Macarthur’s threat after suffering a thrashing in the reverse fixture.

That’s right, the Bulls totally demolished the Reds back in February. Matt Derbyshire netted a hat-trick before Mark Milligan completed the rout, handing Macarthur a dominant 4-0 victory.

Of course, a lot has changed since then. Veart’s men have upped their game, while the Bulls have been pretty inconsistent. But the manner with which Adelaide crushed Macarthur is difficult to forget.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Derbyshire’s ability to hit the back of the net. The veteran English striker has bagged five goals in eight matches since he last faced Adelaide, meaning his tally stands at ten goals in 16 outings this term.

Derbyshire scored three goals across Macarthur’s recent three-game winning streak, including a brace against Perth. However, he could not prevent his side from losing 2-1 to Brisbane last time out.

The Bulls were on a roll before meeting the Roar last weekend. Can they get back on their feet in South Australia?

Adelaide and Macarthur both come into Wednesday’s clash on the back of disappointing results, but let’s not forget what they have achieved in recent weeks. The Reds have won six of their previous eight games, while the Bulls have sealed six wins in their last ten matches.

We all know Macarthur thrashed Adelaide last time around, but Adelaide is a different animal now. Playing on home soil, I can see the Reds holding the Bulls to a draw on Wednesday.