Western United vs. Melbourne City – A-League, April 1, 2021

Western United is the next team tasked with trying to end Melbourne City’s seemingly unstoppable winning run.

Unfortunately, Mark Rudan’s men have lost three of their previous four matches – so snapping City’s six-game hot streak won’t be easy when the teams clash at AAMI Park on Thursday, April 1.

Before we get to my Western United vs. Melbourne City prediction and betting pick, let’s check out the odds.

Melbourne City (1.60) may technically be the away team in this matchup, but Patrick Kisnorbo’s men are actually playing at their home stadium on Thursday. That is one of the many reasons why the price for the away win is so low here.

Needless to say, the best online sports betting sites aren’t giving Western United (5.00) much of a chance. The Green & Black are likely to find it difficult to even scrape a draw (4.05).

Let’s get stuck into my Western United vs. Melbourne City preview.

When you glance at the A-League ladder, you will see Western United languishing in tenth place – just six points ahead of last-place Melbourne Victory.

While it is worth noting that Rudan’s men have played three games less than many teams in the league, there is no hiding from the fact that United is on a poor run of four defeats in seven matches.

Of course, with games in hand over their rivals, the Green & Black could easily find themselves climbing the ladder before too long. But as things stand, the club is not in a good place.

It is no secret that scoring goals have been United’s biggest problem this season.

Ten of United’s 18 goals this season have come from two players – Besart Berisha (5) and Dylan Pierias (5). If forwards like Connor Pain and Lachlan Wales don’t start chipping in, Rudan’s side could fall even further down the standings.

Kisnorbo’s men won two of their opening three games this season, including a 2-1 victory over United. A subsequent three-match losing streak threatened to derail their campaign, but those fears are now firmly in the past.

City extended their winning run to six games with an emphatic 4-1 demolition of the Wanderers last time out. Unsurprisingly, Jamie Maclaren got on the scoresheet yet again.

Not only has Maclaren scored 12 goals in 12 outings this season, but he has also netted in each of his previous six matches – with braces coming against Sydney FC, Western Sydney, and Macarthur. There truly is no stopping him right now.

Maclaren’s exploits have enabled City to rack up 20 goals across their six-game winning streak, scoring over 2.5 goals on four separate occasions. Better still, the team has achieved four shutouts along the way.

Kisnorbo’s men have the chance to leapfrog Central Coast at the top of the table on Thursday. Personally, I can’t see them passing up the opportunity.

Melbourne City beat Western United 2-1 back in January, with City registering 16 shots. Based on current form, if Kisnorbo’s men produce a similar performance on Thursday, they will almost certainly score more than twice.

I’m confident that United will turn things around and move up the ladder at some stage. But the way things are going at the moment, I expect City to claim a high-scoring win on Thursday.