Western United vs Auckland Prediction: Hot-shots Botic and Moreno to carry on form at Ironbark Fields

Western United and Auckland are both unbeaten in their last four games ahead of a meeting at the former's Ironbark Fields in Tarneit, Melbourne on Saturday (07:00, TNT Sports 2). The sides faced off for the first time in history on December 21 with Western United thrashing the Black Knights 4-0 at Go Media Stadium, so the New Zealanders will be looking for revenge in Australia this weekend.

Below are my Western United vs Auckland predictions, supported by the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this Australian A-League Men's contest.

Team News

Sebastian Pasquali's return from a fractured fibula comes at a good time for Western United with fellow midfielder Angus Thurgate suspended on Saturday after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in last Sunday's 2-2 draw with Macarthur.

Pasquali is joined in returning from injury by 21-year-old defender Charbel Shamoon who will be hoping for his first ALM appearance of 2025.

James Donachie (calf) and Khoder Kaddour (knee) remain sidelined for John Aloisi's side.

Football Odds

Auckland have a suspended player of their own with influential Belgian midfielder Louis Verstraete, who struck the winner in the Black Knights' last game against Macarthur on February 1 (2-1), serving a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Fijian centre-back Daniel Hall has been out since mid-December with a broken ankle and he is still recovering from that injury so remains unavailable for selection.

Auckland issued another injury update last week, revealing that fellow defender Nando Pijnaker had rolled his right ankle against Macarthur. The 25-year-old was taken off after 23 minutes of that match and isn't expected to return until the end of the month at the earliest.

Callan Elliot replaced Pijnaker against the Bulls and he could be called upon from the start on Saturday.

Western United vs Auckland Odds

Western United have failed to win their last two games but are unbeaten in their last four like Auckland, who have won their last two. Both sides are priced at 6/4 to triumph on Saturday, handing each an implied probability of 40%, with the draw at 9/4.

Hiroshi Ibusuki (13/8) and Noah Botic (7/4) head the anytime goalscorer market with Guillermo May (2/1) first up for the visitors.

Anytime Goalscorer - Noah Botic (WU) @ 7/4

A goal against Macarthur last Sunday lifted Western United striker Botic up to joint-second in the ALM Golden Boot charts alongside eight-goal Adelaide United marksman Archie Goodwin, with the two young Australians just a single strike behind Sydney FC star Joe Lolley (nine goals).

Botic has scored in each of his last four games, netting five times across that run, and on Saturday he faces an Auckland outfit he notched against earlier in the season.

The 23-year-old scored Western United's second in that 4-0 victory at Go Media Stadium and he should be confident of at least equalling Lolley's tally in New Zealand with the Sky Blues not in action until next weekend.

Auckland were defensive demons at the start of the season, beginning the campaign with five straight shutouts, but just three have followed in their last 10 and Western United exposed their vulnerabilities better than anyone on December 21.

Anytime Goalscorer - Neyder Moreno (AUC) @ 9/4

I seldom select the anytime goalscorer market for my two separate tips but I'm going to break away from normality here by also backing Auckland's Neyder Moreno to find the back of the net.

The Colombian joined the Black Knights in the off-season ahead of their inaugural ALM campaign and made his debut in the 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium on November 2 before scoring his first goal for the club two weeks later in his third appearance against Newcastle Jets (2-0).

Moreno made it two goals in his first five outings in a 2-2 draw with Melbourne City on December 15 but then had to wait more than a month, and another six games, for his third, striking off the bench in a 2-2 draw with Adelaide United.

That was the start of a three-game scoring run with his latest coming as a starter in the 2-1 win over Macarthur last time out. It was the 28-year-old's first start since New Year's Day but his recent hot streak looks to have convinced Steve Corica that he can be trusted from the beginning of contests.

Western United have conceded 24 ALM goals this season - only Sydney (30) have shipped more in the current top six - and haven't kept a clean sheet since December 29, allowing 12 goals in their last six matches.

Aloisi's side have been breached at least twice in five of their last six games and Moreno could take advantage of the deficiencies in their defence on Saturday.

Offers

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