Sydney vs Western Sydney Wanderers Prediction: Kraev to cause more chaos for JCP

Sydney and Western Sydney Wanderers only contested the first Sydney derby of the season just over a month ago but a second of the 2024/25 Australian A-League Men's campaign takes place at Allianz Stadium on Saturday (08:35, TNT Sports 6) as part of the A-Leagues' 'Unite Round', which sees all six fixtures this week take place at the Sky Blues' ground.

Check out my Sydney vs Western Sydney Wanderers prediction below, alongside all the latest team news and match odds, as I weigh up the chances of the visitors exacting revenge for their 2-1 defeat at CommBank Stadium on October 19.

Team News

Sydney head coach Ufuk Talay has expressed doubts over the availability of marquee signing Douglas Costa, who missed games against Auckland, Brisbane Roar and Hiroshima before returning to the squad for the Sky Blues' 2-1 defeat at home to Macarthur before the international break.

However, the Brazilian was an unused substitute against the Bulls and Talay appears reticent to risk the 34-year-old with the fixtures piling up. He said: “It’s one of those ones where we weigh up if we utilise him too early and does he break again and then he’s out for a long period of time because we’re going to be playing one game a week, which will allow us to actually utilise him a lot better in that window."

Costa is in the extended squad but whether he features on Saturday or is even in the matchday squad remains to be seen.

There is better news on fellow attacker Joe Lolley, who has been absent since injury forced him from the field in the 35th minute of Sydney's 1-0 defeat to Auckland on October 27. The former Nottingham Forest winger was supposed to return against Macarthur but failed a late fitness test, which necessitated Costa's inclusion in the squad.

The extra rest appears to have done the 32-year-old the world of good and he is in contention to feature on Saturday alongside midfielder Leo Sena, who has made a strong start to life in Sydney. The Brazilian had his thigh strapped during the round-four loss to Macarthur and was ultimately substituted in the 66th minute due to the issue, but he's back in full training and expected to play a major part in this weekend's Sydney derby.

Fellow midfielder Corey Hollman is also back from injury after last featuring in Auckland. However, freshly-capped Socceroo Hayden Matthews, who was sent off against the Bulls for two bookable offences before making his Australia national team debut in Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Bahrain, must serve a one-game suspension.

Right-back and captain Rhyan Grant and midfielder Anthony Caceres were also a part of Tony Popovic's squad for this month's 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers; Grant didn't see the pitch against either Saudi Arabia or Bahrain while Caceres, like Matthews, made his Socceroos debut against the latter. Both will be involved in Sydney's final two sessions before Saturday, according to Talay, thus making them available for selection on the weekend.

Football Odds

Western Sydney Wanderers are boosted by the return to fitness of goalkeeper and captain Lawrence Thomas, who hasn't featured since his side's 2-1 victory at Brisbane City in the Australia Cup round of 32. As a result, 21-year-old Tristan Vidackovic, who started WSW's first three league games before being dropped down to the bench for Jordan Holmes last time out, has been axed from the matchday squad.

Head coach Alen Stajcic is likely to thrust Thomas straight back in between the sticks, but he won't be able to call upon the services of 21-year-old forward Aidan Simmons, who hasn't featured since October 27 due to injury.

Juan Mata was restricted to a late substitute appearance last time out as the Wanderers ran riot against the Newcastle Jets, winning 4-1. The former Manchester United and Chelsea playmaker may have to settle for a cameo role again on Saturday with WSW looking much more dynamic without him.

Sydney vs Western Sydney Wanderers Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Sydney vs Western Sydney Wanderers on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Sydney are 4/6 to beat Western Sydney Wanderers for the fourth time this calendar year having first beaten them 4-1 at CommBank Stadium in March and following up that success with a 2-1 victory at Allianz Stadium the following month. Those odds give the Sky Blues an implied win probability of 60%, while the Wanderers are 3/1, or a 25% chance, to triumph in this fixture for the first time since November 25 when they won 1-0 at Allianz Stadium courtesy of a second-half Zach Sapsford strike.

The draw is priced at 3/1, both teams to score at 1/2, and over 2.5 total goals at 4/9.

Off-season Sky Blues signing Patryk Klimala, who struck the winner in last month's Sydney derby, is 6/5 favourite to score anytime on Saturday, and 9/2 to net the final goal of the game again.

Price Boost - Sydney to Win, Both Teams to Score - Yes, Sydney 6+ Corners @ 100/30 4/1

Let's kick things off with a nice Price Boost from Betfred. They are offering Sydney to win, both teams to score and the Sky Blues to take at least six corners at 4/1, up from 100/30.

This bet has landed in three of the last five meetings between the local rivals - in May 2023, March 2024, and April 2024 - while it wasn't far off winning in October's head-to-head as Sydney won 2-1 but fell four corners short.

Taking it selection by selection, Sydney have won half (two) of their four ALM games this season and have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning four of the last five head-to-heads. The Wanderers, meanwhile, have lost half (two) of their league matches this term and been defeated in their last three Sydney derbies.

Second up is both teams to score, something that has been a winner in three Sydney ALM matches in 2024/25, two of which they have won. It's been even more frequent for the Wanderers, who have seen all four of their games end with at least a goal on either side, two of which they have lost.

Finally, we come to the corner count. Sydney are yet to win six corners in a single league contest this season, taking two, four, five and four against WSW, Auckland, Brisbane Roar and Macarthur, respectively. Meanwhile, their opponents on Saturday have only conceded 12 corners across their first four games - two v Sydney, four v Western United, four v Adelaide United, and two v Newcastle Jets.

However, the Sky Blues have won at least corners in five of the last six Sydney derbies, landing this selection in five consecutive clashes before last month's meeting at CommBank Stadium.

With the Betfred Price Boost, I think this is a bet well worthy of consideration on Saturday.

Player to Receive a Card - Jordan Courtney-Perkins (SYD) @ 18/5

Sydney defender Jordan Courtney-Perkins, who can play at either left-back or centre-back, is yet to be booked this season and received just two cards - both yellow - in his debut campaign with the club, despite making 26 ALM appearances in 2023/24.

However, the Australian racked up six yellows and one red in his final season for Brisbane Roar in 2023/23, showing that there has been an edge to his game previously, and the statistics show that he's not been afraid to put his foot in for the Sky Blues in the first month of the current campaign.

The 22-year-old didn't make a foul last time out against Macarthur but committed four on the opening weekend against the Wanderers and followed that up with three in Auckland and two in Brisbane, meaning he is averaging exactly two fouls per game in the ALM.

Courtney-Perkins is unlikely to evade a booking if he keeps up those sorts of numbers and given his foul count in the first Sydney derby of the season, his price of 18/5 to receive a card on Saturday is an enticing one, in my opinion.

Three of his fouls in the reverse fixture last month came on Bulgarian midfielder Bozhidar Kraev, who was only introduced at the start of the second half by Wanderers boss Stajcic. Kraev has since broken into the starting XI and looks likely to play from the off at Allianz Stadium, which could mean an unsettling night for Courtney-Perkins, who may be forced to take alternative action against his opponent again, and he may not get quite so lucky this time around.

Offers

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