Melbourne City vs. Western Sydney Wanderers – A-League, March 26, 2021

We have a tasty matchup at the top end of the A-League ladder to look forward to on Friday, March 26, with Melbourne City hosting Western Sydney at AAMI Park.

A run of three straight victories has kept the Wanderers in second place. Meanwhile, a five-match winning streak has seen City climb to fourth – one point shy of Friday’s opponent.

Keep reading to see my prediction and betting pick for Melbourne City vs. Western Sydney Wanderers.

Having won each of their previous five outings, Melbourne City (1.57) heads into this one as the clear favorite. Still, the Wanderers (5.25) are more than capable of snatching a draw (4.15).

I understand why the top online sports betting sites view City as the overwhelming favorite to win on Friday, but the odds for both the draw and the away win seem unusually high here.

Let’s get stuck into my Melbourne City vs. Western Sydney Wanderers prediction.

Not only have Patrick Kisnorbo’s men won each of their last five games, but they have also blown away all of their opponents in a devastating fashion.

Across the five-match winning run, Melbourne City has netted a combined total of 16 goals (3.2 goals per game). On top of that, City has only conceded twice and comes into Friday’s clash on the back of four consecutive clean sheets.

Oh, and let’s not forget that Kisnorbo’s side claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory over Western Sydney at the beginning of March.

It is no secret that Jamie Maclaren has been the driving force behind City’s recent domination. The clinical forward has bagged 11 goals and four assists in 11 appearances this term, including eight goals and three assists in his previous five matches.

Kisnorbo’s men faced their toughest test of the season on Monday, yet they passed the test with flying colors. Unsurprisingly, Maclaren played a key role as City beat high-flying Central Coast 2-0, closing the leaders’ gap to just four points.

Missed @MelbourneCity's 2-0 win over @CCMariners?

Catch the @maccas Mini Match here ?#ALeague #MCYvCCM #CmonCity #CCMFC

— A-League (@ALeague) March 22, 2021

As things stand, the Wanderers currently sit one point ahead of City on the A-League ladder. But it is worth noting that they have played two games more than Kisnorbo’s side.

In fact, City has two games in hand over the top two sides, meaning back-to-back wins would propel the Melbourne outfit to the summit of the standings.

However, that doesn’t mean that you can discount WSW. Carl Robinson’s men have only lost three of their 13 matches this term, picking up six wins and four draws along the way. Better still, they have suffered fewer defeats than any other team this year.

Having netted eight goals across their three-game winning streak, it’s fair to say that the Wanderers are also scoring for run at the moment. After edging Western United 1-0, Robinson’s side beat Wellington 4-3 before securing an impressive 3-0 victory over Perth.

The returning Mitchell Duke has notched up four goals in six games since arriving back in Australia, including a brace against the Glory last time out.

At the end of the day, I simply can’t see City losing this one. If you’re looking for a riskier wager, I believe the price for the draw offers excellent value. But my best bet for Melbourne City vs. Western Sydney Wanderers is the home win.

Kisnorbo’s men are on a seemingly unstoppable run right now – and I don’t think the Wanderers are good enough to bring City’s winning streak to an end.