The race for top six positions is getting tight in the A-League, with a couple of months left before finals action. Adelaide United and Perth Glory will kick off Round 16, both teams needing three points to stay in touch with the pacesetters.
Check out our ‘Matchday 16’ preview and A-League betting tips below.
2023-24 A-League: Round 16 Preview & Betting Tips
Adelaide United vs Perth Glory
Friday 9th February, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Adelaide will be desperate to return to the winners list on Friday night, after losing their last two fixtures.
United are now two points behind Sydney FC in eighth, so it’s critical that they win this home fixture against meagre opposition.
Having said that, Perth have won two of their last three, lifting them to within striking distanced of the top six.
However, the Glory tend to struggle on the road, while Adelaide thrive in familiar conditions.
As such, United should reverse their slump on Friday night.
Adelaide United to Win
$1.67 (2 Units)
Wellington Phoenix vs Western United FC
Saturday 3rd February, 3.30pm (AEDT)
Top of the table will face bottom in a lopsided clash on Saturday afternoon, with Wellington hosting Western United.
The Phoenix have lost just two matches this campaign, while United have won two, scoring just 13 goals in 14 matches (10 less than any other team).
It’s truly been a nightmare season for Western United, with no reprieve in sight.
This matchup should be easy pickings for the Phoenix, who relish playing in front of their loyal fans.
Wellington have everything to play for while United have nothing to gain, so expect the home side to win with ease.
Wellington Phoenix to Win
$1.87 (3 Units)
Melbourne Victory vs Macarthur FC
Saturday 10th February, 5.30pm (AEDT)
Third will play fourth in this encounter, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the betting markets.
The Victory are $1.48 favourites to triumph here, despite the Bulls having a better form line and recent attacking returns.
In fact, Frenchman Valere Germain is now the equal third top scorer in the league, underlining Macarthur’s threat up front.
Melbourne will boast attacking weapons of their own on Saturday, however, with Bruno Fornaroli set to return after travelling to Qatar for the Asia Cup.
The star striker has scored 13 goals this season, and the Victory have been held to four straight draws in his absence, so Fornaroli will be a massive inclusion.
Nevertheless, Macarthur deserve more respect, and as such I’m backing a draw.
Macarthur FC to Win
$4.50 (1 Unit)
Brisbane Roar vs Melbourne City
Saturday 10th February, 6.00pm (AEDT)
Brisbane Roar had their best chance to secure an elusive win last start against the Phoenix but were unable to get the job done once again as it finished 1-1.
The Roar have only won once from their past nine league fixtures – a run that also includes seven defeats and zero clean sheets.
Meanwhile, Melbourne City couldn’t handle the dangerous Perth Glory last weekend when they were smashed on their travels by four goals to two.
That loss made it three defeats from their past four fixtures in what has been City’s worst month of football for quite some time.
Regardless, City are still in better form than their opponents and will see this fixture as a great opportunity to find some momentum. They should be coming away with all three points.
Melbourne City to Win
$2.05 (3 Units)
Central Coast Mariners vs Sydney FC
Saturday 10th February, 7.45pm (AEDT)
The Central Coast Mariners were unable to make it four wins in a row when they drew 0-0 with the Phoenix in their catch-up game.
Still, the Mariners avoided defeat and are now a whopping 12 games in a row unbeaten, which has seen them climb all the way to second on the league table.
Impressively, the Mariners have now kept three clean sheets in a row and six from their last 10 outings.
Elsewhere, Sydney FC finished level-pegging with Western United to make it two draws in a row. They’re now three games unbeaten and have suffered only one defeat from their last seven fixtures.
Despite that, the Mariners are clearly the form team in this matchup and deserve to be the heavy favourites. I expect them to be too good on their home deck.
Central Coast Mariners to Win
$2.02 (2 Units)
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Newcastle Jets
Sunday 11th February, 5.00pm (AEDT)
The Western Sydney Wanderers yo-yoing form continue in Round 15 when they were defeated by Macarthur in a seven-goal thriller (3-4).
That result made it nine straight games where they’ve traded wins with losses, so you could say they’ll fancy themselves to bounce back at home this weekend.
In contrast, the Newcastle Jets have been fairly consistent this season, but not in a positive way. They’ve managed to find only four wins in the season to date.
Despite the rollercoaster form of the Wanderers, they still deserve to be at their current odds-on price to secure the win on Sunday night. They should be able to find a way past the poor Jets here.
Western Sydney Wanderers to Win
$1.65 (2.5 Units)
