Macarthur FC vs. Wellington Phoenix Betting Preview – A-League, January 9, 2021

After winning their maiden A-League game against WSW, Macarthur was brought back down to earth by the Mariners last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Nix kicked off their campaign with a loss to Sydney FC, although the New Zealanders dominated large spells of their match against the defending champions.

If you’re considering wagering on Saturday’s game, why not check out my Macarthur FC vs. Wellington Phoenix prediction and betting pick below?

The leading online sportsbooks are favoring Macarthur (2.35) to win this one, yet the high price for the home win indicates that Wellington (2.80) won’t go down without a fight.

Both teams will be looking to bounce back from defeats in the previous round, so I’m expecting this to be a tight clash. With that in mind, the draw (3.50) could be the way to go here.

The Bulls could not have wished for a better start to life in the A-League, with a 1-0 victory coming against new-found local rivals Western Sydney Wanderers.

Granted, Mark Milligan secured the win with one of the luckiest goals you’ll ever see. But after enjoying the lion’s share of possession and registering a total of 20 shots, nobody can that Macarthur didn’t deserve all three points.

However, the newcomers’ joy didn’t last long. Despite seeing 70% possession on Sunday, Ante Milicic’s men suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Mariners.

There are still plenty of reasons for Bulls fans to be optimistic. With Adam Federici between the sticks, Macarthur boasts one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Spanish duo Markle Susaeta and Benat Etxebarria have also made an immediate impact, while striker Matt Derbyshire is a proven goalscorer.

I’m excited to watch Macarthur’s debut A-League season unfold.

Need a quick recap of #MACvCCM⁉️

Watch the full match highlights on YouTube ? https://t.co/FthWCz8P4w#ALeague pic.twitter.com/U6L0JRpSxh

— A-League (@ALeague) January 3, 2021

The Phoenix recorded their best-ever A-League finish last season, ending the 2019/20 campaign in third place. But the Kiwis were undone by the reigning champions in their first outing this term.

Calem Nieuwenhof and Luke Brattan scored either side of a Mirza Muratovic goal to secure the points for the Sky Blues. Still, Ufuk Talay’s men were able to rack up a mammoth 22 shots, so they can count themselves pretty unlucky not to have snatched a draw.

Ulises Davila started on the bench last time out, although I’m sure the Mexican will come into Talay’s starting XI on Saturday. The influential playmaker contributed 12 goals and five assists last term, making him one of the most prolific players in the league.

After scoring on his debut for the club, Muratovic looks like a real talent. The 20-year-old was signed from Brisbane Roar during the offseason, strengthening the Nix’s midfield.

The high price for the draw seems too good to miss here. If the opening few games of the season are anything to go by, these two teams look relatively evenly matched.

Macarthur heads into this one as the favorite, but Wellington has more than enough quality to compete on Saturday. Having taken everything into consideration, I’m expecting the points to be shared.