Melbourne Victory vs. Western Sydney Wanderers – A-League, Sunday, March 27, 2022

There is only one A-League game to enjoy on Sunday, March 27. Following four clashes on Saturday, Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers go head-to-head at AAMI Park.

The two sides are separated by five points on the A-League ladder, with sixth-place Victory leading ninth-place Western Sydney. It is worth noting, however, that Victory has a game in hand over the Wanderers.

This Melbourne Victory vs. Western Sydney Wanderers betting preview contains odds, analysis, my prediction, and a free pick for Sunday’s showdown.

Melbourne Victory (1.80) is the bookies’ clear favorite to win this one. Although Tony Popovic’s men have drawn each of their past three outings, they head into Sunday’s clash on a five-game unbeaten streak.

Meanwhile, Western Sydney (4.00) is the obvious outsider. The Wanderers have been wildly inconsistent this season, making it difficult to predict how they will fare from one game to the next.

I have also included a couple of goal-based markets here, courtesy of Betway. Given Western Syndey’s inconsistency, it might be a good idea to steer clear of the moneylines for this match.

Victory kicked off 2022 with a five-game winless run. After recording back-to-back draws at the start of the year, they suffered three straight defeats. Funnily enough, one of those defeats came against the Wanderers.

Victory heads into Sunday’s clash on the back of three consecutive 1-1 draws. It is worth pointing out that Popovic’s men took the lead against Central Coast and Melbourne City but were unable to hold onto the advantage on both occasions.

Last time out, they came from behind to rescue a point against high-flying Western United. Brendan Hamill equalized in the 85th minute, scoring his first-ever goal for Victory against the club that he left last year.

That said, the Boys in Blue boast the second-best defensive record in the competition. Only Western United has conceded fewer goals, while Victory has conceded over 1.5 goals on just five occasions.

The Wanderers are currently enjoying a two-game unbeaten run for only the second time this season. That tells you everything you need to know about their inconsistent performances.

Earlier this month, Mark Rudan’s boys took four points from a double-header against Adelaide United. After claiming a 2-1 road win, they held the Reds to a goalless draw on home soil.

The Sydneysiders have lost three of their last six games. Worse still, they have lost five of their previous nine. When you look at the bigger picture, Rudan’s boys have suffered eight defeats in their past 14 A-League outings.

Tomer Hemed (4 goals), Dimitri Petratos (2 goals), and Jack Rodwell (2 goals) have combined for almost 50% of their team’s goals. The Sydneysiders won’t move up the A-League ladder if they have to rely on three players.

In all honesty, it is difficult to predict the result of this clash. Although Victory is the rightful favorite, the Wanderers are capable of springing surprises when the odds are stacked against them.

Having won two and drawn three of their past five games, the Boys in Blue are on a good run. That said, they head into Sunday’s clash on the back of three successive 1-1 draws. Have they got what it takes to beat Western Sydney? I’m not so sure.

Yes, the Wanderers have lost eight of their last 14 matches. But they managed to snatch four points from third-place Adelaide earlier this month. For that reason, I can see them getting something from this game.

Placing a moneyline bet on this game feels like a risky move. Instead, I recommend opting for the under 2.5 goals wager. Why? Because both sides are weak in attack and strong in defense.

Victory boasts the second-best defensive record in the A-League. On the flip side, the Wanderers are the second-lowest scorers. It is also worth noting that almost 60% of Western Sydney’s games have dished up under 2.5 goals this season.

Looking for more A-League predictions? You can check out my predictions and betting picks for Saturday’s games by following the link below.