Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix Prediction: Ryan to raise the roof at CommBank

This week's Australian A-League Men's action kicks off at CommBank Stadium with a bottom-of-the-table clash between Western Sydney Wanderers and Wellington Phoenix on Friday (08:35 GMT, TNT Sports 1). The hosts are bottom of the 12-team table, but a win here would see them draw level on 19 points with the 11th-place visitors.

Below are my Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

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New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

Team News

Nathan Barrie (unspecified) is Western Sydney Wanderers' only absentee this weekend after being taken off in second-half stoppage time of last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Melbourne City, despite only coming on in the 57th minute.

Gary van Egmond has brought Japanese striker Hiroshi Ibusuki into his extended squad to replace the 19-year-old defender.

Football Odds

Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano is still missing the injured trio of Josh Oluwayemi, Dan Edwards and Nathan Walker (all unspecified), but new signing Sarpreet Singh is in line to make his debut for the club after joining on loan from Serbian side TSC.

Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix Odds

Western Sydney Wanderers are 8/15 favourites, implying a 65.2% probability of success, while Wellington Phoenix are 4/1, or a 20% chance, with the draw offered at 3/1.

Betfred's Price Boosts include Western Sydney Wanderers To Win To Nil at 15/8 (was 13/8).

Both Teams To Score and Total Goals Over/Under +2.5 - Yes & Over 2.5 @ 5/6

The Wanderers are the ALM's lowest scorers this season, netting just 13 times across their first 16 games, and BTTS-Yes and Over 2.5 Goals has landed in just 25% (four) of their matches.

Three of those instances have come in seven post-Christmas contests, though, compared to one in their first nine.

Sitting bottom and having picked up just one point from their last two games, I'd expect the hosts to go for it on Friday to try and give their fed-up fans something to cheer about.

Today's Football Fixtures

Wellington, meanwhile, have scored in all but one of their 16 league games this term and there have been three or more goals in 13 of those matches, including the last three.

Like the Wanderers, the Nix will be looking to move away from the lower reaches, with a top-six spot still in sight, but after a three-game winless run (D1, L2), Italiano will know his side will have to start picking up three points sooner or later.

Both head-to-heads last season produced plenty of goals, with the Wanderers' 4-1 win at CommBank in December 2024 followed by a 2-2 draw at Sky Stadium last March.

Anytime Goalscorer - Ryan Fraser (WSW) @ 6/4

Ryan Fraser made the perfect start to life as a Wanderer, coming off the bench on his debut to net the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Perth Glory on January 25.

Six days later, the 31-year-old was at it again, this time opening the scoring in the first minute of the Sydney derby, which Sydney FC went on to win 4-1.

Fraser was unable to score for a third game in a row last weekend, with his two first-half efforts failing to hit the target, but against the Nix, who have shipped nine goals across their last three matches, next up, the Scottish winger will fancy his chances of adding to his ALM tally.

Nick Ware P/L 25/26 ALM Season (After GW16)

 P/L: +5.9%