Melbourne Victory vs Sydney Prediction: Another BTTS-No in the Big Blue

The Big Blue is back in Melbourne this Monday (06:40 GMT, TNT Sports 2), just over a year since the last AAMI Park meeting between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, which finished 2-0 in favour of the hosts.

Below are my Melbourne Victory vs Sydney predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Mid-season signing Charles Nduka, who has joined from third-division Japanese side Kagoshima United, could make his Victory debut against Adelaide.

However, Brendan Hamill (knee) and Roderick Miranda (unspecified) miss out for Arthur Diles’ side.

Football Odds

Sydney midfielder Rhys Youlley will serve the first of a three-match suspension for the red card he received in the 2-0 home defeat to Wellington Phoenix last time out.

Gus Hoefsloot (wrist), Joe Lolley (hamstring), Al Hassan Toure (calf) and Abel Walatee (groin) miss out, too, but Mathias Macallister, Joel King and Wataru Kamijo are all back in Ufuk Talay’s extended squad.

Melbourne Victory vs Sydney Odds

Victory, who won four consecutive games before suffering back-to-back defeats in the last couple of weeks, are 23/20 favourites to claim all three points on Monday, implying a 46.5% probability of success.

Sydney, who won November’s reverse fixture 3-0 at Allianz Stadium, are 15/8, or a 34.8% chance, to bounce back from their loss to Wellington Phoenix and extend their lead on Victory to eight points.

The draw is offered at 12/5, both teams to score at 8/15, and over 3.5 total goals at 6/4.

Both Teams To Score - No @ 11/8

Sydney are bottom of the ALM’s Both Teams To Score table, with just 25% (three) of their 12 games finishing with both sides on the scoresheet, and their last five have seen one or both fail to fire.

Victory aren’t much better in that regard, as only 38% (five) of their 13 league matches have seen both teams score.

Today's Football Fixtures

Sydney, who boast the league’s best defensive record (nine goals conceded), have blanked in three of their last four games, while Victory have scored just once across their last two.

Considering BTTS-No has been a winning selection in six of the last seven head-to-heads, including the last three, I think we’re getting good value in backing this selection at 11/8 on Monday.

Player to Receive a Card - Rhyan Grant (SYD) @ 13/5

Sydney right-back Rhyan Grant picked up six yellow cards in 25 ALM appearances last season, and he's already on three in 12 this term, so he's on the way to at least matching his 2024/25 tally.

All of the 34-year-old's bookings this season have come on the Sky Blues' travels, and going back to the previous campaign, his last five cautions in all competitions have been away from Allianz Stadium.

Grant has received seven yellows in 33 career appearances against Victory - only against Western Sydney Wanderers (10) and Brisbane Roar (nine) has he been cautioned more times.

The Sydney skipper is averaging 0.7 fouls per game this season, and on Monday, he could be marking either Nishan Velupillay, Keegan Jelacic or Clarismario.

I think Velupillay, who has been fouled twice in his last four appearances, drawing a yellow card from Perth Glory full-back Charbel Shamoon during that run, will move across to the left on Monday, posing problems for Grant.

Diles could also start either Jelacic or Clarismario, two more tricky wingers, so whoever lines up down the Victory left, Grant is likely to have his hands full.

Nick Ware P/L 25/26 ALM Season (After GW13)

 P/L: +7.9%