Central Coast Mariners vs. Perth Glory – A-League, March 14, 2021

The Mariners will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the A-League ladder when Perth visits Central Coast Stadium on Sunday, March 14.

Alen Stajcic’s men currently find themselves seven points clear of second-place Macarthur, while back-to-back defeats have seen the Glory slip to eighth – 12 points behind Central Coast.

If you’re planning to wager on Sunday’s A-League clash, make sure you check out my Central Coast Mariners vs. Perth Glory prediction and betting pick below.

Believe it or not – Central Coast (2.25) is the favorite to win this matchup. Following a remarkable start to the season, the top online sportsbooks are giving the Mariners the respect that they deserve.

Having lost 2-1 in the reverse fixture at the beginning of the month, Perth (2.95) heads into this one as the outsider. But will the Glory really suffer successive defeats to the Mariners?

At first glance, the big price for the draw (3.55) stands out here.

W8-D0-L3. That’s a pretty impressive record, right?

Prior to the start of the campaign, Stajcic’s men could only have dreamed of the start that they have made. But with 11 games already behind them, it’s time to start taking Central Coast seriously.

After securing three victories in their opening five games, the Mariners recorded a three-match winning streak. A loss to Adelaide United briefly halted their momentum, yet they have since bounced back with consecutive wins.

Despite seeing just 30% against Perth earlier in the month, the Yellow & Navy managed to seal a 2-1 victory. Goals from Matt Simon and Marco Urena got the job done, leaving Bruno Fornaroli to net a consolation strike.

Last time out, Simon was on target again, before youngster Matt Hatch came off the bench to make history – scoring the fastest-ever debut goal in the A-League, just 25 seconds after entering the game.

Having won five of their last six games, the Mariners are riding a wave right now.

.@CCMariners are seven points clear on top of the #ALeague ladder ?

Presented by Bunnings Warehouse ? pic.twitter.com/RxI86p985b

— A-League (@ALeague) March 10, 2021

Granted, the Glory have played three games less than Central Coast this term. However, they still find themselves 12 points behind the league leaders.

A record of W4-D0-L4 underlines Perth’s inconsistency.

After losing two of their opening three matches, Richard Garcia’s men enjoyed a three-game winning run of their own. But following the loss to the Mariners, they suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at the hands of Wellington Phoenix last weekend.

Once again, the Western Australians dominated possession, enjoying 62% of the ball against the Nix. But despite racking up a whopping 21 shots, they were unable to find a way through.

With 19 goals to their name, Garcia’s men are currently the second-highest scorers in the A-League. Still, having conceded 18 times, only two teams have a poorer defensive record.

Needless to say, if the Glory want to start climbing the A-League ladder, they must tighten things up at the back.

Many believe that Central Coast’s bubble will burst soon. But right now, I just can’t see it happening. The Mariners beat Perth only a matter of days ago – and I’m expecting a similar result this time around.

The Glory just can’t seem to get into their grove at the moment. I’m sure that Garcia’s side will come good and turn things around, but I think it makes perfect sense to back the Mariners to win this one.