The first month of the A-League season takes place this weekend ahead of the final international break for the 2024 calendar year.
Five teams are still chasing their first win of the season while Brisbane will be hoping to secure their first point of the campaign when they visit the Victory on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday is the standout day however with a trio of fascinating games, starting with Central Coast hosting Wellington before Sydney plays Macarthur and Perth faces Melbourne City.
Check out all six match A-League previews below as well as our best bets for every clash.
It will have been a rough week at Wanderers headquarters following a number of defensive calamities in Round 3, which consigned them to a frustrating 4-3 loss at home to Adelaide.
Few would have expected them to be winless at this point of the season and coach Alen Stajcic is more than capable of manufacturing a turnaround.
It won’t come easy against a Newcastle side that has enjoyed a week off thanks to an early bye, and before that they stunned Macarthur 2-1 with an impressive late show.
History says this will be a relatively high scoring game with 10 goals across the two meetings last season and I’m shading the Wanderers at home.
Western Sydney to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.30
The Victory are looking the goods early on, with two wins and a draw through three weeks.
Brisbane’s results do not paint a pretty picture with two defeats from their two outings but there were signs for encouragement, particularly in attack in last week’s loss to Sydney.
History is also in Brisbane’s favour, with the Roar winning three and drawing two over the last two seasons.
However there is a bit more value in the under, with that bet saluting in four of those five head to head meetings as well as the last four clashes at AAMI Park.
Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.20
Plenty of pundits predicted Adelaide to struggle in season 2024/25 but the Reds have acquitted themselves quite well in the last two weeks.
They held the champions to a draw first up before capitalising on their chances against the Wanderers last weekend to pick up all three points.
The market has reacted to that quick start and installed them as clear favourites over a winless Western United.
Perhaps it might be overreacting just a little bit but there is plenty of reason to be confident in the Reds at least early on and they are worth a play here.
Adelaide to Win @ $1.70
It has been a lean start to the A-League season for the reigning champions, with three draws from three starts.
Their attack has registered just the one goal in 270 minutes of action and their wastefulness against a porous Perth defence last week was a frustrating sight for fans and punters alike.
Meanwhile Wellington is in a perfect bounce back position after their defeat in the inaugural Kiwi Clasico last weekend.
The Nix looked like they would at least hold on for a point before conceding two late goals.
However the form line firmly gives them a much better chance than the market does with a win, three draws and a defeat against the Mariners over the last two seasons.
There is value on the visitors here and that’s where the best bet is.
Wellington to Win @ $3.60
Sydney might have two wins from three matches, but there are still some major questions about their defensive solidarity having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches in all competitions.
Brisbane managed to put two past them at Suncorp last week, but a late winner from substitute Jayden Kucharski sent them back to the Harbour City with all three points.
Meanwhile, questions are starting to be raised over whether Macarthur’s Round 1 belting of Perth was an anomaly with the Bulls losing their last two games.
On both occasions they lead 1-0 before conceding twice against the Jets and Victory and they just have not been able to put it together.
Both teams to score has hit in five of the six combined A-League matches between these teams, so let’s back that with a Sydney win for a bit of value.
Sydney to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.50
It feels like a brave call to back Perth, however the Glory did a decent job holding on for a draw in Gosford last week.
Not to mention, they did beat City 5-4 in extra time in the Round of 32 of the Australia Cup as well as recording a 4-2 win at HBF Park back in February.
City are definitely beatable and their struggling attack has suffered two major losses this week with Andrew Nabbout and Marco Tilio both set to miss time with injuries suffered in their 1-0 win over Western United.
It’s not a great spot for the visitors and Perth is a much stronger team out west, so it’s worth a roll of the dice.
Perth to Win @ $3.05
2023/24
Another week, another managerial change in the A-League with Sydney FC moving on from Steve Corica, just over a month after he guided the club to an Australia Cup triumph.
The Sky Blues will be looking for a response when they head to Adelaide in the feature match of Round 4 but there’s a whole lot to get excited about this weekend.
It all kicks off with the in form Victory taking on Wellington on Friday night and finishes with the Mariners hosting the Brisbane Roar.
We’ve got you covered with our A-League previews and best bets for every match below so read on and see who we are backing.
Two of the early season pacesetters face off on Friday night with both teams picking up seven points from their first three outings.
Melbourne’s perfect start to the season came undone with a fiery draw against Adelaide United last week and they will be desperate for all three points from their third consecutive home game.
However they are going to be up against it defensively due to the suspension of Roderick Miranda after his red card against Adelaide.
Wellington’s forward line is not to be taken lightly either, they were ruthless against an error riddled Brisbane side last week, putting them to the sword in a 5-2 win, the first time they had scored five in a game since March 2019.
The market is yet to be convinced on the Nix and when you stack up the two teams, the Victory are the better team, so I’m backing them to win with both teams to score for a bit of value.
Melbourne Victory to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $3.00
After a trio of away days to start the season, Western United will play their first home game… in Ballarat.
It is the first of at least three straight home matches at Mars Stadium before their Tarneit base opens, and they’ll need to find a way to move on from a pair of very disappointing results.
It looked like they were heading for a dull draw away to Macarthur last week before conceding a 93rd minute winner.
Newcastle is yet to pick up a win this season but they have been one of the more entertaining teams to watch, with every fixture of theirs featuring four or more goals.
If there ever was a time for Western United to fix their attacking woes and unleash the creative potential of Daniel Penha, this is the opponent to bring out the best in them especially as it is his former club.
Western United to Win @ $1.92
For the first time in over 12 months, Perth Glory will head to CommBank Stadium for a clash with the Wanderers, and they’ll be full of confidence after defeating the Mariners last week.
We have already seen both extremes of Western Sydney’s capabilities this season and even got a taste of it in 90 minutes during last week’s draw in Newcastle.
Marko Rudan’s side were thoroughly underwhelming early before fighting back for a 2-2 draw which would have given them some consolation.
Returning back home, where they demolished Western United 5-0 in late October should give them the boost they are looking for to handle a gallant Perth outfit.
Western Sydney to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.30
Barely a month removed from winning the Australia Cup, Steve Corica is out as Sydney FC’s manager with the club moving him on after 19 years as a player and coach.
Having seen the new manager bounce working for Melbourne City first hand last week, they’ll be hoping for a similar return when they head to Adelaide for this match.
However it is a very different situation, City were taking on a struggling opponent bereft of confidence whereas Adelaide is a team full of confidence after a successful start to the season.
You also have to wonder what sort of impact the lack of a permanent appointment will have on Sydney with interim coach David Zdrillic unlikely to be in a position to make sweeping changes with a permanent replacement still in the works.
There might be a bit of a reaction from a Sydney team that has been poor through three matches so far, but it won’t be enough here.
Adelaide to Win @ $1.85
Was it a one game bounce or is Aurelio Vidmar just what City were looking for?
We might get a better idea on Sunday as the reigning premiers face Macarthur with both sides backing up from midweek Asian commitments.
Thankfully for them, neither side is travelling overseas so that is one less issue for them to deal with heading into this fixture.
I’m going to give City the benefit of the doubt and think that last week’s win was the start of something good and take them to win.
Melbourne City to Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ $1.70
Brisbane were backed up their win over Sydney FC with a poor performance against Wellington where they were caught out several times in a 5-2 loss.
However they have a great chance to provide an instant response against a Mariners side that they have strong history against and are currently struggling quite badly.
This is a poor spot for the Central Coast, currently stuck on the foot of the A-League ladder and backing up from a midweek AFC Cup trip to Bali, it’s tough to see how they pull themselves out of their funk anytime soon.
Perhaps the upcoming international break might allow them to right the ship but for the time being, I’m happy to take them on.
Brisbane to Win @ $3.35
2022/2023
Round 4 kicks off this Friday night and we have another huge week of A-League matchups!
Current champions Western United have got off to a very rocky start while it’s business as usual for Melbourne City.
While it’s still very early days, the ladder is starting to take shape and we could be getting a glimpse of who is a serious contender this year and who may need to do a bit more work in the transfer window.
I’ve run my eyes over the games this weekend and found a few good tips for the punters.
Here is my preview for Round 4 of the A-League.
Western Sydney and Newcastle will face off as two of the four remaining unbeaten sides.
WSW will need to put on a stronger showing compared to last week, their draw to the Roar isn’t really up to the standards that coach Marko Rudan expects, meanwhile the Jets thumped Wellington 3-1.
The Wanderers are short favourites in this one but it truly could be anyone’s game and I think it’s harder to split these two than the bookies are making out.
Instead I like the over 2.5 Goals market
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.80
The Roar are starting to build a bit of momentum, no they haven’t won a game yet this year but I think they are starting to improve and we could see them back to their winning ways very soon.
The Victory haven’t done much better this season, a single point is all that splits these two sides so far.
The bookies still have the Roar as outsiders but I’m leaning towards them.
It’s going to be stinking hot at Moreton Daily Stadium on Saturday and that favours the orange and black who have been training in these conditions.
Back The Roar H2H @ $2.95
Huge game this one as 11th plays 12th in a big bottom of the ladder clash!
Western United will hope to end this poor patch of form against a Mariners side that I haven’t seen enough of so far this year to back with any confidence.
It blows my mind to find Western United as underdogs, not to mention current champions sitting as the wooden spooners is mind blowing.
I’m leaning towards United, their luck has to turn around eventually and if it doesn’t against Cenny Coast, I might not back them rest of the year.
Back Western United H2H @ $2.70
Macarthur are technically unbeaten this year but they’ve done that with only one win and two draws.
This will be a big test for the Bulls, Sydney FC are always a tough opponent, we could be in for a goal fest here.
The ‘Both Teams to Score’ market has hit in each of Sydney FC’s last six A-League matches and the ‘Over 3.5 Goals’ market has hit in each of Sydney FC’s last 10 A-League matches.
I don’t know who will finish up with the three points but what I do know is that there should be plenty of goals in this one.
Back Both Teams to Score And Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.80
The Glory won a game!
Yes you’re reading that correctly.
It only happened a handful of times last season but the absolute mad men did it last weekend against the Mariners.
It’s something that Adelaide was yet to do this season but I do really like their chances in this one.
Despite getting the W last week Perth are still $4.40 outsiders to United’s $1.70 and I think I’m leaning towards a big win for Adelaide here.
The Home Crowd will be whats needed to see them get their first win of the year and I’m liking them by at least a 2 goal margin.
Back United -1 @ $2.88
City are just far too good aren’t they?
They’ve conceded 1 goal in three rounds and have just been consistently good all over the paddock.
Wellington are another team that are yet to get a win this season but did beat City in the Australia Cup Round of 16.
Good omen?
The bookies don’t think so, they have the Nix at $5.50 to win and it’s hard to blame them.
I like City in this one (Shocker) and I’m taking them to cover a handicap, they’ve done that the last two weeks and I’d be shocked if they don’t do it again.
Back Melbourne City -1 @ $2.50
2021/2022
Round 4 of the A-League Men season begins on Wednesday night and continues through until Sunday evening; six matches are on the schedule.
Western United recorded an impressive win over reigning champions Melbourne City last weekend, and they will be eager to take another three points away from the Brisbane Roar on Saturday. Later that night, Macarthur will look to extend their competition lead when they meet local rivals the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Check out our full A-League Men Round 4 preview below.
Round 4 of the A-League begins nice and early, and Melbourne City will host the Perth Glory on Wednesday night.
City started their Round 4 clash with Western United as firm favourites in betting, but they failed to break down their opponent and as a result suffered their first defeat of the season.
Round 3 really was a tale of two cities, and the Glory ended a lean start to the season with a thrashing win over the Victory.
I simply cannot understand the huge disparity in match betting, and I’m going to take a double chance of the Glory or Draw.
Back Glory or Draw @ $2.75
A great opportunity to win awaits the Newcastle Jets and the Wellington Phoenix on Friday night, and each club will be confident in their chances.
The Jets are yet to record a win this season, but they have returned some impressive performances, drawing twice with some very credible opposition.
The Phoenix’s record currently stands at 1-1-1 from their three matches, but they do take their place in this match following a disappointing defeat to the Wanderers.
I’m actually pretty keen on the Jets this week, and they represent great value at current odds.
Back the Jets to Win @ $2.55
Western United welcome the Brisbane Roar to Victoria on Saturday afternoon and look well placed to record another win.
John Aloisi’s men look terrific this season.
They are playing with class and confidence, and it has results in two wins from three matches, highlighted by last weekend’s triumph over the reigning champions.
The Roar meanwhile snapped their two-game losing streak against Adelaide United, but the performance, their first at home this season, left plenty of be desired, and they failed to get on the board.
This looks to be a pretty open and shut case in my opinion.
Back Western United to Win @ $2.30
A Sydney Derby will see the Wanderers host shock league-leaders Macarthur in Saturday’s primetime slot.
The Wanderers have been fair since the beginning of the season, recording two draws before breaking through at the expense of the Phoenix last week. They look to be a team on the rise, and I for one would not be surprised to see them fighting it out at the pointy end of the season.
Macarthur were excellent during their debut season, and they have picked up where they left off with two lovely wins and a draw to ultimately top the table.
There were still plenty of gaps in the performance, but they did enough to sink the Mariners in Round 3, and they take further improvement and momentum into this clash.
In my opinion, this is the match of the week, and I am remaining on the fence.
Back the Draw @ $3.45
Adelaide United host the Melbourne Victory in another intriguing Round 4 clash on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds have been about as beige as a side can be without suffering defeat, and they are they only club to have drawn all three of their matches this season.
Last weekend’s performance and 0-0 result against the Roar in Brisbane left plenty of the imagination.
The Victory flew the blocks at the beginning of the A-League Men’s season and they were my best bet in Round 3 as a result, but completely fell on their faces against the Perth Glory.
I think that this looks like a great opportunity for Tony Popovic’s men to bounce back, and we’re getting a great price for that result.
Back the Victory to Win @ $3.15
Round 4 draws to a close in Gosford on Sunday when the Central Coast Mariners host Sydney FC.
The Mariners have returned three competitive performances so far, but they have little to show for them.
They were in their Round 3 contest with Macarthur the whole way but ultimately, dropped all three points in a disappointing 0-0 loss.
There is no doubt that Sydney have been the league’s biggest disappointment so far.
Sure, they looked a little rusty in their Week 1 draw with the Wanderers, but they’ve failed to improve and have suffered a defeat and another draw in the wake.
I’m not particularly confident in either side in this contest, so I am going to stay away from match betting.
Back Adam Le Fondre to Score @ $2.25
2021
We’ve got six matches on the schedule for Round 4 of the A-League and almost a month after the season began, Perth Glory will play its first game against Adelaide United.
Things begin with a blockbuster double header featuring the first Sydney Derby of the season before the two “other” Melbourne clubs face off at AAMI Park.
As has been the case since the first day of the season, border closures and travel restrictions have played havoc with the A-League fixtures so just about every match needs to come with the caveat of “if it all goes ahead”.
That chaos did not stop us finding a pair of winning plays last week and we’ll look to continue that form in Round 4 of the A-League season.
Read on to see who we are backing.
Arguably the highlight fixture of the A-League regular season, this will be a unique Sydney Derby for multiple reasons.
The defending champions could not handle their local rivals at all last season, losing twice and drawing the third meeting and it’s fair to say the gap between the two squads has closed since they last met.
Western Sydney picked up their first points of the season with a 2-1 win over Newcastle while Sydney FC has had two weeks off after their lone match of the season, a 2-1 win over Wellington.
Even if it will lack the usual intense fan generated atmosphere of a local derby, the action on the pitch will still give it the feel of a rivalry match.
The last four meetings have had two or fewer goals and this should follow that trend.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.02
It’s the derby between Victoria’s two “other” teams as Melbourne City and Western United face off for the fifth time in their history.
When they last met in August, it was for a spot in the Grand Final and City emerged 2-0 victors, keeping their perfect record against their newest rivals intact.
In four meetings, Western United have failed to earn as much as a draw against City however they do have as good of a chance as any.
City captain Scott Jamieson will be out for this one after getting sent off against Adelaide and they will likely continue to be without Andrew Nabbout after he was injured against Brisbane.
And even with those absences, I still come back to the fact that City is still the better side and should win this game relatively comfortably.
Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.85
One of the few teams to actually be playing their fourth match of the season in Matchweek 4, Macarthur could benefit from the relative consistency of their fixture list.
Ante Milicic’s side has experienced the full gamut of results in their very short history with a win, draw and loss but they certainly appear capable of competing in this A-League season.
Things have not been so smooth at Newcastle with the side losing both of their matches to date, on top of the doubts over the future and stability of the club’s ownership.
It’s not all doom and gloom with some bright passages of play, however they do need to find a way to get some positive momentum for the club.
Having tipped them for the wooden spoon however, I’ll continue to back against the Jets until their situation looks a bit more promising.
Back Macarthur to Win @ $2.75
At the time of writing, the Central Coast Mariners, check that, the LEAGUE LEADING Central Coast Mariners are flying with back to back wins to start the season.
Going back to the end of the last campaign, It’s now five matches without defeat and perhaps some optimism the club is on the rise.
Looking at this match, the phrase “timing is everything” springs to mind and the Wanderers will be backing up on 72 hours rest from their derby with Sydney FC.
Central Coast last defeated Western Sydney in April 2019, but they are in a great position to break that drought here.
It’s hard to see the Wanderers being at full capacity for this fixture, regardless of their result against Sydney, those sorts of matches always result in some sort of hangover and while Carl Robinson can say “every match matters” the odds of them suffering a letdown here seem very short.
Back Central Coast to Win @ $3.05
By the time this match kicks off, it will have been 18 days since the Roar last played in an A-League fixture while the Jets will be about 73 hours removed from their match with Macarthur.
The Roar had the better of Newcastle last season drawing with them in January before scraping out a 1-0 in one of the final matches before the league went into hiatus in March.
It’s hard not to be encouraged by the performances of the Roar in their two opening matches with a whole new level of energy in the squad compared to last season and if they can get off to a fast start, they should be able to go on with the job and come away with three points.
Back Brisbane to Win @ $2.90
Better late than never, we finally get a look at this Perth Glory outfit in the domestic competition.
Almost seven weeks to the day since their last competitive fixture in the Asian Champions League, Perth will present a side that really could go either way.
We have seen Adelaide in the A-League twice already and what has stood out so far is their impressive defensive work, keeping a pair of clean sheets with goalkeeper James Delianov one of the early stars of the season.
I’ll back what I have seen so far this season and take Adelaide in an upset as they stifle Perth going forward.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $3.25
2019/2020
Has there been a power shift in Sydney?
Maybe not but the Wanderers showed they are going to be a tough out this season, especially at their rebuilt home ground.
Of course Sydney FC is still looking good and the rivals from outside the Harbour City will be ready to knock them off the top of the table.
It’s the first edition of the Victory-Western United Derby highlighting this weekend of A-League action after the new boys lost their first all-Victorian clash with Melbourne City last weekend.
There’s four other games on the fixture list and we’ve got previews and betting plays for them right here.
Facing Sydney FC at home has not gone well for Newcastle lately with seven losses and two draws from their last nine visits to the Sky Blues.
Steve Corica’s side will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in the derby where they just couldn’t find a way through the Wanderers.
Perhaps the only thing that might give Newcastle hope is the fact that their defenders have had a really strong season so far, giving up just 10 shots in their two matches so far.
That being said, Sydney has the lethal marksman that only needs one chance in Adam LeFondre who should be able to get them home here.
The key in this game is whether or not Sydney can score early and open up the match, in both their wins they have scored inside the first 25 minutes.
That being said they haven’t kept a clean sheet yet and I’m not expecting one here with Petratos and Arroyo more than capable of pulling out a screamer.
SGM: Sydney FC Halftime/Fulltime & Both Teams to Score @ $5.10
You can see that Brisbane have the potential to get something going under Robbie Fowler, it just needs to click.
Maybe it might involve a slight tweak to the starting 11 or a tactical switch, either way they need to address the slow starts.
In both contests so far they have fallen behind in the first half and spent the majority of the game chasing a goal.
Perhaps they might be able to catch the Wanderers a little bit flat after a dramatic derby win, their first in what feels like an eternity, but the Wanderers have been making the most of their new/old surrounds.
At home, this is going to be the Wanderers game to lose, although it should be a close one.
SGM: Wanderers to Win & Under 3.5 Goals @ $2.63
It might not have been overly pretty but the Victory got their first win of the new season in Brisbane.
Of course losing Andrew Nabbout to a hamstring injury in the first half of that game will hurt them going forward, especially if it puts more pressure on Ola Toivonen in the front third.
Western United on the other hand lost their first Victorian Derby to Melbourne City and now travel up the road to face the Victory.
On the plus side they have scored in every match so far, but they’ve only managed one goal in each contest.
Both Mark Rudan and Marco Kurz are defence first managers, looking to set the side up to be solid at the back and try to win games 1-0 or 2-0.
Two plays leap out in this one, the first one is both teams to score considering the attacking talent on offer, but these managers love a clean sheet… actually any manager would.
Given the way this season is unfolding so far, take neither side to keep a clean sheet though, there have only been five clean sheets in 15 matches and one of those was a 0-0 draw.
Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.80
In a huge blow for Melbourne City, Jamie Maclaren is out for the foreseeable future which really limits their options in attack.
They’ve scored four A-League goals this season and all four of them have come from the Socceroos striker.
On the plus side that opens up a really appealing betting play for this weekend, Wellington have struggled to score with their full strength squad so back a low scoring encounter here that, at best will be a 1-1 draw.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.20
Could Perth finally be starting to click?
After a pair of draws to start off the season the Glory finally got their first win in the Distance Derby in Wellington and now they are back at home for their bunnies, the Central Coast Mariners.
The last eight meetings have seen seven Perth wins but this Mariners side has a bit more fight to it than in previous years.
Even with Perth’s resilient defence last season, the Mariners found a way through in all but one of the last nine meetings.
Perth is still yet to keep a clean sheet but I like them to still come away with a win as they are a better side than the Mariners.
SGM: Perth to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $3.00
2018/2019
Going into the season there were plenty of people thinking this would be one of the most competitive A-League seasons yet.
After three rounds of action, those prognostications certainly look accurate as a number of teams have had good and bad moments already.
Three teams are still searching for their first win, although all three face tough assignments this week with Brisbane and Central Coast travelling, while the Jets host Sydney FC.
Read on for our previews and predictions for all five A-League matches coming up this weekend.
A battle of attrition looms between two sides who are looking to bounce back from their first defeats of the season.
This has all the makings of a low scoring battle with the Phoenix scoring just seven goals in their last 14 away contests.
One goal might be just enough for City and that is the play here.
Back City to Win and Under 2.5 Goals (Same Game Multi) @ $4.04
A weekend trip out to Mudgee awaits the Roar and Wanderers as the “home” side look to build on their first win of the season in Wellington.
Brisbane on the other hand are reeling after being blitzed by Perth last weekend and need to find a way to step up and meet the challenge ahead of them.
A good value play in this game is Western Sydney to be the first team to score at $1.75 but the outright win for the Wanderers is too good to not take.
Back Western Sydney to Win @ $2.15
Two sides that entered the season with big questions surrounding them have gone a way to answer them so far.
Sydney are still strolling along despite the turnover with two wins and a draw while the Jets look as though the magic from last season has perhaps run out.
Travelling to the Hunter region does not bother Sydney having kept a clean sheet in five of the last seven games at this venue and have scored at least once in every appearance dating back to 2008.
Back Sydney to Win @ $2.00
This one shapes up as the best match of the round with two sides off to a great start ready to face off in Adelaide.
Perth were excellent in their win over Brisbane last week while the Reds finally broke through for their first (League) win.
Not to mention this features two of the most exciting Australian prospects at the moment in Craig Goodwin and Chris Ikonomidis.
The Popovic effect is in full swing in Perth and Adelaide has not lost in their last eight at home, so the play here is a draw.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
There are not many things which appear to be as straightforward as the final A-League match of Round 4.
After picking up their first win of the season over Newcastle last week, Melbourne now look to turn that into a streak when they host the Mariners.
Central Coast battled for back to back draws but were thoroughly outclassed by Adelaide last Sunday.
There is no point getting too fancy with this one and just look for Victory to put together a good performance.
Back Victory to Win to Nil @ $2.50
2017/2018
A perfect start for Melbourne City has them daring to dream as we enter A-League Round Four. Even at this early stage of the season there are some big surprises such as the Jets sitting in second place with two wins and a draw ahead of the defending champions. At the other end the Roar and Victory are both yet to win a game, producing results that are well below their respective expectations.
A derby draw for the Sky Blues last week resulted in their first dropped points for the season while Perth got by the Mariners thanks to a late finish from Adam Taggart. Perth are not a side that travels overly well, winning just seven games away from NiB Stadium since the start of the 2015-2016 season. Sydney on the other hand have not lost a home game since 2 April 2016 and it is hard to see them dropping this one, even if it is a battle.
Back Sydney FC to Win @ $1.57
Any optimism surrounding the Brisbane Roar has evaporated after a disastrous start to the season, losing their first three games. A hotly debated (albeit correct) VAR call enraged the fans as it prevented a draw against the Jets last weekend. They now face a Wellington Phoenix side that have been very competitive in each of their three outings so far and have a formidable home ground advantage. Even then the Roar have a good record over there and have the ability to score goals. All things considered this is looking like an even matchup with two sides that will cancel each other out.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
For the second week in a row, a Melbourne side will visit Adelaide, however United will return to the more comfortable surrounds of Coopers Stadium for Melbourne City. This will be City’s first game outside of Melbourne this season so they have no real away form to go on. Neither side has lost yet this year however Adelaide have drawn twice while City are a perfect three for three. They did need a remarkable free kick from import signing Ross McCormick to get by a valiant Wellington last week. With a history of fiery clashes, not to mention a number of former Adelaide players now on City’s books, this will not disappoint with a highly entertaining score draw.
Back Both Teams to Score & a Draw @ $4.00
A promising start to the season by the Newcastle Jets has been derailed by a gruesome injury to their marquee import Ronald Vargas. The pressure now falls on players such as Wayne Brown and Dimi Petratos, whose rocket from distance proved decisive in last week’s win in Brisbane. The Wanderers will be feeling somewhat hard done by after giving up a lead in the derby and will look to make amends. It is the first of three straight games outside of Sydney and they have been solid playing gatecrashers. Until we can see how the Jets might respond to the injury last week it’s worth steering clear of them and their games.
NO BET
Both sides will feel as though they are well below where they should be on the early season standings. Melbourne are yet to find their team identity having had a disrupted start due to international commitments. In last week’s fighting draw with Adelaide they showed signs of potential as well as signs of frustration with how they have performed. Central Coast are a side that is currently defined by the term ‘potential’ by showing flashes at certain points but failing to capitalise on those stretches. This might just be the week and I have a good feeling about the Mariners here getting their first win of the season.
Back the Mariners to Win @ $3.60
2016/2017
It has been a very tough start to the A-League season for punters as upsets have dominated the first three rounds of the season.
The action gets underway on Friday night when Melbourne City host Adelaide United in a replay of the preliminary final last season, while the round concludes on Monday night when the Melbourne Victory take on the Wellington Phoenix on Melbourne Cup eve.
Punters are keen to bounce back after a disappointing weekend of A-League betting and you can find our thoughts on every single game below!
Melbourne City suffered their first defeat of the season with a disappointing performance against Perth, but they are clear favourites to return to winning form against Adelaide United.
A lack of composure at key times cost Melbourne City last weekend, but they have still won eight of their past 12 games as home favourites for a clear profit and they have lost back-to-back games just twice in the past 12 months.
Adelaide United have made a very slow start to the A-League season and they are still chasing their first victory after going down to Melbourne Victory last weekend.
The Reds have proven to be a profitable betting team as underdogs in the past 12 months and they have won three of their past eight games as away underdogs for a profit.
Melbourne City are deserving favourites in this clash, but they are definitely under the odds at their current price and the $4 available for an Adelaide United victory is worth the gamble.
Back Adelaide United To Win @ $4
Both these teams have made a very promising start to the A-League season and will defend unbeaten records in this clash.
Sydney FC made it three wins on the trot with their fighting victory over Wellington and they will go into this clash as clear favourites.
Sydney have won three of their past six games as home favourites for a narrow profit and their record at Hunter Stadium is strong.
Newcastle two scored late goals to take a point from their clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers and they will go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Jets have taken at least a point from six of their past 11 games as away underdogs, but just three of those results were victories.
Sydney FC look a class above the majority of their competition in the A-League at the moment and they are a safe bet to maintain their dominant start to the season.
Back Sydney FC To Win @ $1.75
Western Sydney Wanderers threw away two points against the Newcastle Jets last weekend, but they will still start this clash as dominant favourites.
Tony Popovich was filthy with his team’s effort in the last 10 minutes of their last clash and there is no doubt they will be desperate to avoid a similar result this weekend.
Western Sydney have won eight of their past 14 games as home favourites, but they have only made a very narrow profit in this situation.
There is no doubt that Central Coast have improved this season, but they are still yet to taste success this season following their narrow defeat at the hands of the Brisbane Roar.
The Mariners have won just one of their past 13 games as away underdogs and it is tough to back them with any confidence.
These are two teams that are tough to trust from a betting perspective and I am more than happy to stay out of this clash.
No Bet
The Brisbane Roar returned to winning form against the Central Coast Mariners and they will start this clash with Perth as clear favourites.
Brisbane have been far from impressive so far this season, but their record in front of their home fans is nothing short of outstanding – they have won 11 of their past 15 games as home favourites for a big profit.
Perth produced their best performance of the season to date to upstage Melbourne City last Friday night and they played some excellent football in doing so.
The Glory’s record away from home is better than you would imagine and they have won four of their past 12 games as away underdogs for a clear profit.
It is tough to bet against Brisbane at home, but Perth are playing some good football and the $3.60 available for a stalemate can’t be ignored.
Back The Draw @ $3.60
Melbourne Victory recorded their first win of the season over Adelaide United and they have been well-supported to score back-to-back victories.
Melbourne played well to get the job done against Adelaide United, but their record as home favourites doesn’t inspire confidence and they have won just five of their past 11 games in this scenario.
Wellington are yet to win a game this season and they have not tasted success in the A-League since March.
They have been far from disgraced this season, but an inability to score goals has been a serious issue and they have won just two of their past 11 games as away underdogs.
The market that stands out in this clash is the Total Goals betting market.
Wellington have been a strong defensive outfit this season and the $2.20 on offer for under 2.5 goals to be scored is outstanding value.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.20