Melbourne City vs Adelaide United Prediction: Archie to strike but Goodwin for hosts

Despite drawing 2-2 with Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend, Melbourne City's stranglehold on second place in the Australian A-League Men's tightened as Western United lost 2-1 at Brisbane Roar. Aurelio Vidmar's side are now three points clear with two rounds of fixtures remaining, and a victory against Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Saturday (10:35, TNT Sports 6) would all but seal their spot.

Below are my Melbourne City vs Adelaide United predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, as the visitors hunt a win to keep their top-six hopes alive.

Team News

Melbourne City head coach Aurelio Vidmar has added young duo Arion Sulemani and Harry Politidis to his extended squad on Saturday.

However, experienced forward Mathew Leckie will remain sidelined for another week as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Leckie will be watching from the stands again alongside Jimmy Jeggo (Achilles), Samuel Souprayen (calf), Andrew Nabbout, Jayden Necovski and James Nieuwenhuizen (all knee), who remain in the City treatment room.

Football Odds

Calum Talbot and Medin Memeti are both potential starters after coming off the bench against the Wanderers last weekend.

Adelaide United head coach Carl Veart has named an unchanged extended squad for his side's trip to AAMI Park.

Panashe Madanha (hamstring) and Bailey O'Neil (individual training) remain unavailable for selection, but otherwise, the Reds are at full strength.

Veart's starting XI is expected to change, though, following Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Brisbane Roar. Archie Goodwin, Ben Folami and Zach Clough could all earn promotions from the bench, with Luka Jovanovic, Yaya Dukuly, and Jonny Yull potentially all dropping out of the line-up.

Melbourne City vs Adelaide United Odds

Melbourne City won the corresponding fixture 1-0 last season thanks to a strike from the since-departed Terry Antonis. Saturday's hosts are 4/6 to overcome Adelaide again at AAMI Park, implying a 60% probability, while the Reds are 3/1, or a 25% chance, to do the double, having beaten Vidmar's side 1-0 at Coopers Stadium in February.

Both clubs had to settle for a stalemate in their last game, and back-to-back draws for City and United can be backed at 3/1.

Max Caputo (23/20), Yonatan Cohen and Medin Memeti (both 7/5) lead the way in the anytime goalscorer market, with Goodwin, the matchwinner in February, first up for the visitors at 7/4.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Melbourne City & Yes @ 7/4

Adelaide's only clean sheet in their last 17 games came against City, but since that defeat, Vidmar's side have won six of their nine matches (W6, D2, L1), and have only failed to score once, in a 1-0 loss to Newcastle Jets. Their last two victories have seen both teams score, and BTTS - Yes has landed in three of their last four contests.

The Reds, meanwhile, top the ALM BTTS table; 84% (21/25) of their games have ended with at least one goal on either side.

Saturday's match is United's final one of the season, meaning the maximum number of points they can finish on is 37. The rest of the clubs around them all play again next weekend, so Veart knows really that only three points will do on Saturday to keep their finals hopes alive.

While I think they can pose problems for City going forward, I just don't think they have the defensive wherewithal to stop the hosts scoring two or three, and thus a home win and both teams to score piques my interest here at 7/4.

Prior to their two-game unbeaten run, Adelaide lost four straight, despite scoring in all of them. They struck one, two, three and four times, respectively, yet contrived to take nothing away from all four games.

City still have plenty to play for themselves and arrive into this contest in great form, winning three of their last four, and at AAMI Park, where they won seven of their last eight, they should have too much for the Reds this weekend.

Anytime Goalscorer - Archie Goodwin (ADL) @ 7/4

Goodwin was benched for his side's midweek trip to Brisbane, but he should be restored to the starting XI at AAMI Park, and 7/4 for him to score anytime is a decent price considering he is leading the Golden Boot race alongside Sydney FC's Adrian Segecic (both 13 goals).

The 20-year-old has scored in four of his last five starts, netting once against Macarthur FC, Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix, and bagging a brace against Sydney FC.

Goodwin has fond memories of facing City, scoring his first professional goal against them as a 16-year-old for Newcastle Jets, and as previously mentioned, he struck the winner in Adelaide's 1-0 win against them in February.

I'm already backing the visitors to get on the scoresheet at AAMI Park, a stadium where Goodwin grabbed a goal in United's 5-3 loss to Melbourne Victory last month, so as their leading scorer - by some distance - it makes a lot of sense to get behind the young Australian forward at the price offered.

Offers

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