Macarthur vs Melbourne City Prediction: Davila to take the Bulls by the horns

29 points separated these sides at the end of the regular 2022/23 Australia A-League Men's season, with champions Melbourne City and rock-bottom Macarthur sat at opposite ends of the table.

But a lot has changed in the last nine months, and ahead of Friday's fixture at Campbelltown Stadium (KO, 08:45), Macarthur are now six points ahead of their next visitors.

The signing of Valere Germain - outscored by only three players in the league -  has helped to inspire a change of fortunes at the Bulls, who are already three points clear of the points tally they accumulated across the entire previous campaign.

Melbourne City, meanwhile, are in dire straits after failing to win any of their last four games, and they are currently four points off the top-six, an inconceivable thought at the start of the season.

Team News

The hosts are set to be without injured duo Daniel De Silva and Matthew Millar for the visit of the reigning Premiership champions, but Clayton Lewis is free to return after serving a suspension last time out.

Melbourne City are themselves welcoming back a player who was previously banned, with influential midfielder Tolgay Arslan almost certain to return to the starting XI, which is likely to mean one of Jimmy Jeggo, Steven Ugarkovic or Mathew Leckie miss out.

Match Odds

Macarthur are 7/4 to win at home for just the fourth time in the league this term, while Melbourne City can be found at 23/20 to emerge victorious themselves. The draw, meanwhile, is backable at 13/5.

Both teams to score on Friday is is 2/5 while it's 7/4 for BTTS - No.

Macarthur or draw and both teams to score - Yes @ 6/5

I've backed against a Melbourne City win for the past two weeks, and for good reason. They look a shadow of their former selves, with their troubles in front of goal particularly worrying. They top-scored with 61 goals last season, but only bottom-side Western United (18) have found the net on fewer occasions than City (29) this term.

They have recovered from back-to-back losses to pick up a point in each of their last two games though, which is enough to not fully back against them.

Macarthur, meanwhile, have claimed just one point from their last two A-League Men's matches, and they were knocked out of the AFC Cup by the Central Coast Mariners in between those.

Only three clubs have claimed fewer points at home than Macarthur (14), who have saved their best form for their travels.

The double chance on the home side looks the best bet results-wise, while both teams should be confident of getting on the scoresheet. Only Perth Glory (35) have scored as many goals as Macarthur in the A-League Men's, and despite being fourth in the division, they have conceded more than all of the top seven.

Melbourne City have also scored in their last seven on the road.

Ulises Davila to score anytime @ 15/8

The Bulls captain has been in fine form of late, finding the net in six of his last eight matches across all competitions, scoring eight goals. That run includes an A-League Men's hat-trick against Western United, and his season tally for the division now stands at eight.

Davila's career tally against Melbourne City stands at two goals in seven matches, and he was on the scoresheet in the reverse fixture between these sides in December.

Against a vulnerable outfit, Davila can extend his terrific recent record in front of goal.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.