A-League Betting: Melbourne City can return to winning ways against Adelaide United

Recommended bet: Match Result – Melbourne City to win @ 4/5 (1.80) with bet365

Melbourne City play host to Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Friday evening in what is a big game for both teams, coming as it does after both suffered disappointing home defeats last weekend.

Melbourne City’s 100% start to the season was ended with a 3-2 home defeat against Perth Glory at AAMI Park last Friday, despite twice battling back from being a goal down to level.  

All the visitors’ goals came from Irish striker Andy Keogh (formerly of Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers among others), as committed Glory soaked up the Melbourne pressure and hit them on the counter-attack.

It never looked likely to be an easy defence of their A-League title for Adelaide United and it’s already shaping up that way with them having picked up just a solitary point from their opening three matches.

The Reds had their chances to beat Melbourne Victory at the Coopers Stadium last weekend. They fell behind early on, but then drew level through a brilliant Tarel Elrich effort midway through the second-half.  However, as they went looking for the win they struck the woodwork twice in the closing minutes, only to then see Marco Rojas win it for the visitors deep into stoppage-time.

Just a week earlier Melbourne City had themselves faced Victory, winning 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the local derby.  

Melbourne coach John van’t Schip has a few injury concerns after Nicolas Colazo missed out against Perth with an ear infection, Bruce Kamau was substituted early on with concussion and Luke Brattan limped out of the match injured.  All three were doubts for City’s FFA Cup semi-final with Melbourne Victory on Tuesday.

Melbourne City remain slender favourites to win the A-League title with the bookies, but this is the type of game they need to be winning if they are to justify that faith.  They have the quality in their squad that should be enough to see off Adelaide United here and Van’t Schip will certainly be looking for a response after last Friday’s disappointing performance.

Backing Melbourne City for the win here at 4/5 looks a reasonable punt against opponents who seem to be struggling for both goals and form.