Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Wellington Phoenix – A-League, March 15, 2021

The Nix will be aiming to build on back-to-back wins when they travel to Western Sydney to face the Wanderers at Bankwest Stadium on Monday, March 15.

Due to the congested nature of the A-League ladder, tenth-place Wellington currently sits just five points behind third-place WSW – and the New Zealanders have a game in hand over their next opponent.

After checking out the bookmakers’ odds, I will give my Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Wellington Phoenix prediction and betting pick.

Having ended a three-game winless run last weekend, Western Sydney (1.95) heads into Monday’s match as the favorite to claim all three points.

As you can see, the top online sports betting sites aren’t giving Wellington (3.45) much of a chance here. But let’s not forget that Ufuk Talay’s men have won each of their previous two outings.

The Wanderers’ impressive seven-game unbeaten streak – three wins and four draws – was brought to an end by two straight defeats at the end of last month.

Carl Robinson’s men suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of Adelaide United, before Melbourne City inflicted a 2-0 loss on WSW at Bankwest Stadium. However, it didn’t take long for Western Sydney to bounce back and return to winnings ways.

Despite Western United’s best efforts, the Wanderers picked up a 1-0 away victory last weekend, with Jordon Mutch scoring the only goal of the game.

Mutch – who has 78 EPL appearances to his name – has added a different dimension to WSW’s midfield, alongside Graham Dorrans. If the former Premier League pair can continue to forge a formidable partnership, the Wanderers will be tough to break down.

Granted, Robinson’s men have struggled for goals of late. I mean, only four A-League teams have netted on fewer occasions this season. But with a sturdy backline, Western Sydney is proving to be a tricky opponent.

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After only managing to win one of their opening eight matches this term, things were looking bleak for Wellington.

Five defeats and two draws left the club languishing at the bottom end of the standings, with a 2-0 loss to fellow struggler Melbourne Victory capping off a run of three defeats in four games.

But over their previous two outings, Talay’s men have showed everyone exactly why they finished third on the A-League ladder last season.

Goals from David Ball and Ben Waine saw the Phoenix claim a 2-0 away win at Newcastle two weekends ago. Last time out, Ball and Waine got on the scoresheet again, while a Reno Piscopo strike capped off a hugely impressive 3-0 victory over Perth Glory.

Not only have the Nix bagged five goals across their previous two matches, but they have also kept two clean sheets in the process. Following a tough period, Wellington is moving in the right direction again.

Having taken a close look at both sides, the juicy price for the draw has really caught my eye here. Yes, the Wanderers have obviously started the season in better form than Wellington. But the Nix have seriously upped their game over the past couple of weeks.

Western Sydney’s solid defense is likely to make it hard for the Phoenix to claim all three points on Monday. Still, with WSW struggling for goals at the moment, I can see Wellington coming away from Bankwest Stadium with a point.