Round 12 of the exciting A-League season begins on Friday night with Macarthur vs Western United. That’s just the first of six games set to play out this weekend, with all 12 teams in action. As always, we have you covered with our free A-League betting tips below. Good luck to everyone following!
A-League Round 12 Preview & Betting Tips
Macarthur vs Western United
Friday 12th January, 5.30pm (AEDT)
Macarthur and Western United will both be desperate for three points when they face off at CommBank Stadium on Friday evening.
These two sides have just one win between them from the last five rounds, positioning them as the worst performing teams in the league.
It’s come out of nowhere for Macarthur – the Bulls started the campaign in fine form before dropping off over the last month.
On the other hand, United have struggled all season, chalking up nine losses in 11 matches.
These clubs have been relatively well matched in recent years, but Macarthur surely have more quality here.
The Bulls emerged 1-0 winners against Western united back in November, and I’m forecasting a similar result on Friday.
Macarthur FC to Win
$2.30 (2 Units)
Melbourne City vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday 12th January, 8.15pm (AEDT)
From Parramatta we head straight to AAMI Park in Melbourne, where City will take on Western Sydney Wanderers in a blockbuster clash.
Sitting fourth and third, respectively, these sides are right at the pointy end and likely will be at the campaign.
The Wanderers have achieved most of their success through staunch defence, having conceded the least goals in the league (12). With that said, some holes have started to appear down back in recent weeks, so it will be important for Western Sydney to recapture their steel.
As usual, City have thrived as an attacking force, outscored only by the table topping Victory.
It will be interesting to see how these contrasting styles play out on Friday, but the home team are deserved favourites.
City have not lost to the Wanderers since 2019, and I expect them to continue their strong run of form with a win on home soil.
Melbourne City to Win
$2.35 (2 Units)
Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory
Saturday 13th January, 5.15pm (AEDT)
The Mariners and Victory have also been flying as of late, each winning four of their last five matches.
In fact, Melbourne are yet to lose a game, and sit at the top of the table as a result.
Striker Bruno Fornaroli has been the difference maker – he has 13 goals so far, six more than any other player.
However, the star goal scorer is unavailable for the foreseeable future, away on Socceroos duties.
Fornaroli’s absence leaves a massive hole up front, a void that I expect Central Coast to exploit on the weekend.
It’s about time that the Victory drop points, so I’m backing the Mariners to put an end to Melbourne’s unblemished start to the season.
Central Coast Mariners to Win
$2.60 (2 Units)
Adelaide United vs Sydney FC
Saturday 13th January, 8.00pm (AEDT)
After starting the season with three wins from their first five games, Adelaide have found wins hard to come by, picking up just one victory across their last seven outings.
The Reds enter Round 12 having secured back-to-back draws, most recently finishing 1-1 at home against Macarthur.
The defensive side of the ball has been the main issue for Adelaide thus far, as they’ve failed to keep a single clean sheet since way back in Round 2.
In contrast, Sydney began the season poorly but have picked up in a big way in recent times.
They’ve won three matches on the spin after winning only two from their first eight outings.
Needless to say, Sydney are in far better form compared to Adelaide and are worth having something on at near even money.
Sydney FC to Win
$1.90 (2 Units)
Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets
Sunday 14th January, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Brisbane Roar have had a split personality this season, mixing terrific wins with disgraceful losses.
The Roar began their campaign by picking up points in six of their first seven fixtures, but enter Round 12 on a demoralising four-game losing streak.
They’ve scored three goals from their last four games while conceding 17, which is about all you need to know about their recent form.
Elsewhere, Newcastle have been ticking over their points column frequently of late, picking up at least a point in four of their past five matches.
The Jets were too good for Western United two starts back (2-0), before finishing all square with Macarthur last outing.
Considering the Roar’s despicable form over the past month, the Jets loom as a decent value selection this weekend.
Newcastle Jets to Win
$2.70 (1.5 Units)
Perth Glory vs Wellington Phoenix
Sunday 14th January, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Perth Glory’s disastrous season continues in Round 11 when they were trumped 3-2 by Melbourne Victory on their home deck.
The Glory have now tasted defeat in seven of their 11 fixtures to date and have managed to pick up just one clean sheet along the way.
In stark contrast, Wellington have only lost twice this season and have secured six wins from their 11 outings.
Phoenix have also picked up five clean sheets to date, which is the best mark in the competition.
Although they’re the visiting team, the Phoenix are thoroughly deserving of being favourites on Sunday night. They should prove to be too strong for the lowly Glory.
Wellington Phoenix to Win
$2.45 (2.5 Units)
