Sydney FC vs. Melbourne Victory – A-League, March 20, 2021

There is a mammoth 11-point gulf between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory as the two sides prepare to face off at Netsrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday, March 20.

With just two wins from 11 games this season, Victory remains rooted to the foot of the A-League ladder. On the other hand, two straight wins have lifted the defending champions to fifth in the standings.

I assess the bookmakers’ odds before giving my Sydney FC vs. Melbourne Victory prediction and betting pick.

Unsurprisingly, the top online sports betting sites don’t see Sydney FC (1.50) losing this one. In fact, Steve Corica’s men are the overwhelming favorites to win on Saturday.

Given their recent decline, it isn’t a shock to see Melbourne Victory (6.00) as the clear outsider here. Having said that, Grant Brebner’s men will surely start turning things around soon, won’t they?

Sydney FC was forced to come from behind to seal all three points last time out. The Sky Blues initially struggled to deal with Newcastle, yet second-half goals from Milos Ninkovic and Alex Wilkinson saw them secure back-to-back wins.

Having also beaten Western United last week, the defending champions’ unbeaten streak now stands at three games.

It is so secret that Corica’s men have struggled for consistency this season, although they seem to have gotten into their groove recently. Indeed, they have only lost two of their last eight games, with four wins and two draws coming during that period.

It is also worth noting that Sydney FC has claimed three clean sheets in that time, giving the reigning champs the best defensive record in the A-League.

The Sky Blues still sit seven points behind surprise frontrunner Central Coast, but they will no doubt be confident of chasing down the Mariners in the coming weeks.

Luke Brattan was instrumental in midfield for @SydneyFC today ?#SYDvNEW #ALeague #SydneyIsSkyBlue pic.twitter.com/9uuBcPSesm

— A-League (@ALeague) March 13, 2021

Well, Melbourne Victory’s season just keeps on going from bad to worse, doesn’t it?

After losing five of their opening seven games this term, Brebner’s men secured just their second win of the campaign last month. But since that win, they have suffered three humiliating defeats.

Okay, the 4-3 loss to Western United wasn’t all that bad. But the 6-0 drubbing at the hands of bitter rivals Melbourne City was a real low point for Victory. Worse still, the Boys in Blue failed to register a single shot on target in the Melbourne Derby.

Despite creating plenty of goalscoring opportunities last weekend, Victory ended up losing 3-1 to Adelaide United – extending the losing streak to three games.

Needless to say, a record of W2-D1-L8 is completely unacceptable for a club of Victory’s stature. Not only are Brebner’s men the lowest scorers in the A-League (11), but they have also conceded the most goals (26) – and they already find themselves four points adrift at the bottom.

As we know, the majority of A-League games have been tough to predict this season. However, foreseeing the outcome of this matchup is a straightforward task.

Melbourne Victory has been nothing short of dreadful this year, while Sydney FC is starting to look like a seriously solid opponent again. Consequently, all the signs are pointing towards an easy home win here.