Melbourne Victory vs Western United Prediction: Victory to bounce back from Derby Day disappointment

Melbourne Victory's search for a long-awaited win goes on after Saturday's stalemate with local rivals Melbourne City, but they don't have long to wait to right those wrongs as they face Australian A-League Men's straddlers Western United on Tuesday (KO, 08:00).

The clash at AAMI Park is billed as a home fixture for Victory, though their opponents - hailing from the western Melbourne suburb of Tarneit - have been playing at the same venue themselves since mid-December, as they wait to move into their own stadium.

Given the difference between these sides in the table - Victory are fourth, 17 points ahead of Western United - one could be forgiven for expecting a walkover on Tuesday.

However, while Victory are six without a win, United managed to break their winless run on the weekend as they beat Newcastle Jets 2-0.

Team News

Melbourne Victory forward Bruno Fornaroli missed the Melbourne Derby on Saturday but the 36-year-old - who leads the A-League Men's goalscoring charts alongside Apostolos Stamatelopoulos - is back in the squad for Tuesday.

The Australia international will be expected to lead the line against Western United, with youngster Eli Adams set to drop to the bench, and there could be further changes after head coach Tony Popovic seemed to express disappointment in the performance of Daniel Arzani on Saturday, with the one-time Celtic player substituted for Ben Folami just after the hour-mark.

The visitors are likely to keep faith with the majority of the starting XI that beat Newcastle Jets a day prior, though there will be at least two enforced changes.

Captain Josh Risdon is serving a one-game ban for an accumulation of yellow cards, and he could be replaced at left-back by Ben Garuccio, who has returned to the extended squad after two games spent on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Fellow defender James Donachie is also out of action after picking up a red card in the latter stages against the Jets, with Kane Vidmar a potential replacement.

Match Odds

Melbourne Victory are 1/2 to triumph for the first time since January 6, when they beat Perth Glory 3-2. Western United are 9/2 to record back-to-back wins, while the draw is priced at 3/1.

Both teams to score is 8/13 and it's 8/15 for over 2.5 goals.

Melbourne Victory to win and under 3.5 goals @ 6/4

Quite simply, this is a game Victory have to win if they harbour ambitions of winning the Premiership title. Western United are bottom of the A-League ladder and have won just three times all season.

With Fornaroli back in the squad, there are no excuses for not taking all three points on Tuesday, especially in front of their own supporters.

Wester United secured a confidence-boosting victory last week, but that was against a Jets side ranked just one place above them, and with only two away wins all season.

It should be a much tougher assignment for them on Tuesday, and they haven't won away from home since their first game of the campaign, against Melbourne City.

There shouldn't loads of goals in this one, though, with the clash pairing the league's meanest defence (Victory have conceded 18 goals in 17 matches) against the poorest attack (United have scored 15 in 16, 13 fewer than any other side).

13 of Victory's games have seen under 3.5 goals, and 10 of United's have had three goals or fewer.

Melbourne Victory half-time/full-time @ 13/10

Half (3/6) of Victory's wins this season have seen them in the lead at half-time, while Western United have been down at the interval in eight of their 11 defeats this term.

With the home side having a lot to prove in front of their own fans, I expect them to attack from the off and look to secure the advantage as quickly as possible.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.