Match Preview: Central Coast Mariners 2-4 Melbourne City Prediction and Betting Tips | A-League

Central Coast Mariners – Melbourne City betting tips for today, March 20, 2020

Football: AUSTRALIA: A-League – Round 24
Kick-off: 07:30 Central Coast Mariners – Melbourne City
Tip: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 1.58
Bookmaker: Bet365
Match Result: 2:4 WON!!!

Match Preview

  • Out of playoff contention for a sixth season running, the batting Central Coast Mariners are closing in on the New Zealand Knights’ A-League record of 11 consecutive league defeats. Their best chance of snapping the rut is most certainly at home, where they have forged a W3, D1, L6 record as an outsider this A-League season.
  • One of the most unreliable defences of the last six years, the Mariners have shipped three goals in three consecutive home losses. With just one clean sheet across their 21 league matches at any venue, the chances of both teams scoring hinge upon their attacking efforts. They have failed to score at home in three of ten instances this A-League season.
  • Melbourne City have been a model of inconsistency away, recording consecutive league wins on the road just once this league campaign. However, their finest ever regular season is well within reach, particularly if they can improve upon recent first-half efforts which saw them open the scoring just once in their last four A-League away games.
  • The visitors lament one of the league’s poorest records as a travelling favourite (W2, D2, L2), despite being shut out in just one of their last nine A-League away games. If any away trip could be a banana peel for City, it could very well be here, where they have won just one of their last five trips (D3, L1).
  • Players to watch: ‘Supersub’ Matt Simon (CEN) has scored second-half penalties in two of his last five home appearances.
  • Golden Boot contender Jamie Maclaren (MCY) has scored in three of his last four meetings with Central Coast.
  • Stat attack: Central Coast have collected more yellow cards than their opposition in just one of their last nine A-League fixtures.
  • Six of Melbourne City’s ten A-League away matches have produced over 3.5 goals.
  • Meanwhile, six of Central Coast’s last seven home games have seen over 2.5 goals (three over 3.5).