Western Sydney Wanderers vs Western United Predictions

• The last three Western Sydney Wanderers A-League games have featured fewer than three goals.
• Six of the last seven Western United matches have featured fewer than three goals.
• Western United were without nine players for their Boxing Day game.
• Western Sydney Wanderers have averaged a goal a game this season against A-League level opponents, with Western United have averaging just 0.88 per game.

Goals will be scarce as Wanderers seek to snap losing streak

Western Sydney will attempt to snap a three-game losing streak when they play host to Western United on New Year’s Day.

Wanderers began the season with two home draws and a win at Wellington Phoenix before they came off the rails in a cup defeat to a New South Wales NPL club. Failing to score in their past two league games against Macarthur and Central Coast have left Carl Robinson’s side with some questions to answer when they return to action against the visitors from Melbourne.

Western United have made some improvements in the offseason – demonstrated by their record of only four goals conceded through their first six games.

COVID-hit visitors may struggle to find net

Last season, they conceded at a rate of almost two per game, but ex-Brisbane Roar boss John Aloisi has made them very hard to beat. Goals are likely to be scarce at CommBank Stadium and our recommendation here is to take the generous price of around evens for there to be fewer than three scored.

That bet would have landed in six of the last seven Western United matches and the last three A-League games contested by Wanderers. Without knowledge of their COVID situation, the visitors would be a tempting price to win the game too, given they have already taken three points away at reigning premiers and champions Melbourne City.

But nine United players were unavailable for their Boxing Day loss to Melbourne Victory as either cases or close contacts with captain Alessandro Diamanti one of two new cases, while four players were close contacts. So we’re expecting a dull draw with few chances in this and one that could very well finish 0-0.

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