Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

The second of three A-League games on Saturday comes from Queensland as two rivals face off and Matthew O’Regan has readied his Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory prediction, team news, lineups and fixtures preview in anticipation.

After both teams dropped down the table with defeats in their last game, they will be keen to avenge this with a derby day victory, thus securing bragging rights.

Our Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory prediction is for Melbourne City to win the match 2-1.

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Prediction, Team News, Standings and Lineups Preview

1. Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 1: Melbourne Victory Over 5 Corners
2. Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 2: BTTS and Melbourne City DC
3. Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 3: Jamie MacLaren and Bruno Fornaroli to score

In this article:

• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Team News and Possible Lineups
• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Match Stats
• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Fixtures
• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Fixtures
• Safer Gambling

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This week’s bettingexpert Football Podcast looking ahead at the weekend’s schedule

And if you’d rather see the Podcast, Daniel Jenkins, and Sam Ingram in all their glory, here’s the YouTube video.

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Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 1: Corner Kings Victory

Australia, A-League, Saturday 17TH, 8:45 (UK)

In eight home games this season, Melbourne City have conceded 47 corners for an average of 5.88 per game. Aurelio Vidmar’s side have conceded 4, 2, 6, 4, 8, 10, 4, and 9. In the fixture earlier in the season, Victory hit eight corners.

Anthony Popovic’s side averages the highest corner average away from home, seeing 8.22 per game on average. Their totals so far have been 3, 12, 7, 6, 8, 13, 2, 15, and 8.
Bet365 have set Melbourne Victory’s line at Over 5, a bet that has landed in 7/9 away games. However, even though it is classed as an ‘away game’ for Victory, they will be in familiar territory, with the game being played at AAMI Park – a ground they share with Melbourne City.

With Victory averaging a league-high away corner county and Melbourne City conceding an average of 5.88 per home game, I feel Victory’s line is a little low.

• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 1: Melbourne Victory Over 5 Corners
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 2: Close, High Scoring Game

The ‘hosts’ currently sit in 7th place, just two points off Sydney FC, who occupy the final playoff space. 4-2 and 5-1 away losses to Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar in the space of eight days will have worried the City faithful, but all hope is not lost.

They are only two points off playoffs with a fair chunk of the season to go. Vidmar will be keen to ensure his defence tightens up, with his side conceding 30 goals in 16 games – the most in the top 7. However, they have also scored 28 goals, meaning their games average 3.625 goals.

BTTS has landed in 9/16 games for the hosts, with City only losing twice at home.

A surprise 1-0 home defeat to Macarthur Fc marked Victory’s first defeat of the season but also marked five games without a win, halting a streak of four straight 1-1 draws. Anthony Popovic’s side currently sit fourth, despite winning just six games, with draws a familiar theme.

With only 18 goals conceded, they boast the joint-best defensive record in the league, with their games averaging just shy of three goals per game. However, despite their water-tight defence, BTTS has landed in 11/16 games and 7/9 away games.

The only away games that haven’t seen BTTS are the 2-0 opening-day victory at Sydney, a game in which the hosts had 21 shots and the drab 0-0 in this fixture earlier in the season.

5/9 away games have seen BTTS and Victory failing to win. Odds of 2.30 for Melbourne Victory to make it 6/10, and also, six games without a win certainly appeal.

• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 2: Melbourne City Double Chance and BTTS
• Best Odds: 2.30
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 3: Two Aussie Legends to Shine

Not only are two rivals facing off on Saturday, two of the most prolific strikers in A-League history also go off against each other.

Jamie Maclaren is now six seasons into his Melbourne City career after spells in Scotland and Germany were sandwiched in between spells at Brisbane Roar (2015-2017) and Perth Glory (2013-2015.)

With 151 A-League goals, the 30-year-old is now the A-League record goalscorer, sitting nine goals ahead of Bershart Berisha. This season has been Maclaren’s least prolific in all competitions for City, averaging 0.44 goals per match. His season-by-season goals per-match averages for Melbourne City are 0.55, 0.96, 1.04, 0.59 and 0.70, showcasing just how clinical the Aussie is.

Despite only scoring seven goals in 16 league starts, Maclaren is seeing 0.69 xG per 90, as well as 3.14 shots and 1.41 SOT per 90.

However, Maclaren somehow isn’t the most prolific scorer in Melbourne this season. That crown belongs to Melbourne Victory marksman Bruno Fornaroli, who marked his return from the Asia Cup with a missed penalty in the 1-0 defeat to Macarthur last week.

The 36-year-old is the third-record scorer in the league, scoring 103 goals for three clubs – including Melbourne City.

This season, Fornaroli has scored 13 goals in just 11 starts, leaving him level on goals with Apostolos Stamatelopoulous, who has played four more games.

Per 90, Fornaroli is averaging 0.87 xG, 4.24 shots and 1.88 SOT. Of his 45 shots this season, 41 have been inside the penalty area, showcasing his poacher instinct.
Both players also have the added bonus of penalties, so both look a nice price to score.

• Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Tip 3: Jamie Maclaren and Bruno Fornaroli to score
• Best Odds: 6.00
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Predictions odds via bet365 as at 00:00, Sunday February 11th 2024. Odds may now differ.

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Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory Team News and Possible Lineups: Clean Slate for Melbourne Victory

Melbourne City are still without a trio of key men. Tolgay Arslan is set to miss up to a month through suspension after being sent off in the 4-2 defeat by Perth Glory for foul and abusive language. Nuno Reis missed out last week with a muscle injury and is expected to be absent once again, while reliable right back Callum Talbot is still out injured. However, creative Croatian Marin Jakolis made his first appearance for a month last week, with his return a major positive.

Melbourne Victory are blessed with a full-strength side and is particularly boosted by the return of top scorer Bruno Fornaroli.

Melbourne City possible starting lineup:
Young; Galloway, Good, Hall, Politidis; Ugarkovic, Antonis; Natel, Leckie, Jakolis; Maclaren

Melbourne Victory possible starting lineup:
Izzo; Chapman, Silva, Miranda, Geria; Arzani,Brimmer, Teague, Folami; Fornaroli, Machach

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Match Stats: Honours Even in Melbourne

• Of the 42 previous meetings, both sides have won 15 each.
• Jamie Maclaren has 15 goals in 24 meetings with Melbourne Victory.
• Bruno Fornaroli has four goals in 10 games against Melbourne City.
• Melbourne Victory will be hoping to join Sydney (2014-2015) and go a whole season unbeaten away from home.

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Melbourne City Fixtures: Tough Times for City

• Vs Melbourne Victory (H)
• Vs Sydney Fc (A)
• Vs Macarthur FC (A)
• Vs Wellington Phoenix (H)
• Vs CCM (A)

Melbourne City’s next five fixtures all come against teams in the playoffs.

Melbourne Victory Fixtures: Victory with chance to fly up table

• Vs Melbourne City (A)
• Vs Western United (H)
• Vs CCM (H)
• Vs Brisbane Roar (A)
• Vs Adelaide United (A)

Central Coast Mariners (CCM) are the only team in the playoffs (2nd) that Melbourne Victory have to face in the next five.

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SAFER GAMBLING

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