The Isuzu UTE A-League continues this week as Melbourne City welcome Central Coast Mariners to AAMI Park on Tuesday for another exciting league tie.
Venue: AAMI Park (Melbourne)
Key Statistics
Melbourne City have won just one of their last five home games (D2, L2).
They have kept only one clean sheet in their last five home games.
The hosts have scored the most goals in the league this season (26 goals).
Central Coast Mariners are winless in their last six games in all competitions (D2, L4).
They have lost their last four league games away from home.
Head to head
Melbourne City are dominant in this fixture as they have won seven of the last ten meetings between both sides. Central Coast Mariners have just two wins in that period.
Latest performances in all competitions
Melbourne City: W-L-W-W-L
Central Coast Mariners: L-D-D-L-L
Melbourne City
Defending champions Melbourne City will look to continue their title defence with another win when they host struggling Central Coast Mariners on Tuesday night.
The hosts bounced back from their disappointing 2-1 home loss to Adelaide United last week to beat Newcastle Jets last Friday.
In a one-sided affair at the AAMI Park, Patrick Kisnorbo’s side had to wait till the second minute of added time in the first half to score their first goal through Jamie Maclaren.
But shortly after the break, they doubled their lead through Mathew Leckie, before Carl Jenkinson wrapped up the win with a fine goal in the 64th minute.
The result keeps City in second place in the league standings, one point behind Western United.
They can climb back to the top if they win this game given that Western United are not in action till later in the week.
Given that they have won seven of the last ten matches they have played with Mariners, they will fancy their chances of getting another big win here.
Possible Melbourne City starting line-up
Tom Glover; Scott Galloway, Rostyn Griffiths, Curtis Good, Carl Jenkinson; Aiden O’Neill, Connor Metcalfe, Florin Berenguer; Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, Jamie Maclaren.
Injured: Scott Jamieson
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast Mariners will look to get their first win in six games when they travel to Melbourne on Tuesday.
The visitors have endured a terrible run of results in 2022, winning just one game in seven outings this year.
They come into this tie on the back of a disappointing 1-0 loss to Melbourne Victory, leaving them level on points with the bottom teams,
Their aim for the season remains to finish within the top six. They still can do so, given that they are currently seven points off the top six. However, their hope of doing so will soon evaporate unless they begin to pick up points more regularly.
They will therefore be desperate to win this game and also to end what is becoming an embarrassing outing each time they face City.
Possible Central Coast Mariners starting line-up
Mark Birighitti; Jacob Farrell, Kye Rowles, Lewis Miller, Storm Roux; Max Balard, Oliver Bozanic, Beni N’Kololo, Josh Nisbet; Marco Urena, Moresche
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Melbourne Victory 3-1 Central Coast Mariners
