Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Central Coast Mariners’ flurry of victories may have died off in the past couple of weeks, but they have managed to put themselves in a promising position to try and stake their claim at a playoff spot in the Hyundai A-League.

Last time out they drew 1-1 with Newcastle Jets after a 3-0 loss to Melbourne Victory. Before that they had beaten Perth Glory, Adelaide United, and Western Sydney Wanderers in consecutive matches though, keeping them in 9th position but putting them within four points of a top six finish. There is a lot of competition for that last playoff spot as well, especially since 5th placed Brisbane Roar have an eight point cushion before dropping out of the playoffs.

This is a much better showing from Central Coast considering they finished rock bottom of the table last term, and they have already surpassed their 14 point total from last season and still have six games left to play.

Melbourne City started the season off in fantastic form as they desperately tried to keep pace with the perfect record of Sydney FC, but since then things have dropped off considerably for them.

Their 3-1 defeat at home to Sydney last weekend makes it three wins, five draws, and five defeats in the 13 matches since their FFA Cup Final triumph back in November, and that has seen them drop to 4th in the table. They are only ahead of Brisbane Roar on goal difference, and whilst their early season form has given them a large cushion in the playoff positions, they will still be wary of the teams below them.

Two of their three victories in this spell have come at home as well, and away from home their record looks even more bleak. They did hammer Wellington Phoenix 5-1 in their last away days, but prior to that they had lost four and drawn three of their seven A-League games, including a 2-2 draw at Central Coast Mariners in December. They have also lost to both Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets in this spell, both sides who sit outside the top six.

Despite this poor record they are still being touted as heavy favourites, so I think the value is in backing a Central Coast Mariners Win or Draw Double Chance at 23/20, alongside a 1-1 correct score predictions at 7/1.