Western United vs Newcastle Jets Prediction: Back-to-back goals for Walatee

Western United have been one of the surprise packages of the 2024/25 Australian A-League Men's season so far as they sit sixth, just three points behind leaders Melbourne City, heading into their Friday fixture (06:00, TNT Sports 4) against Newcastle Jets (11th), who are 11 points behind their hosts.

Below you can find my Western United vs Newcastle Jets prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this clash at Ironbark Fields in Tarneit, Melbourne.

Team News

James Donachie, Sebastian Pasquali, Charbel Shamoon and Khoder Kaddour are still in the Western United treatment room and unavailable for selection.

Head coach John Aloisi has called up Jake Nadjovski and James York into his extended squad for the visit of Newcastle Jets.

Football Odds

The visitors are without Jacob Dowse, Dane Ingham, Oscar Fryer, Aleksandar Susnjar, Alex Nunes, Garang Arou and Zac Bowling for their trip to Tarneit, but boss Rob Stanton can count on the returning Eli Adams and Justin Vidic.

Western United vs Newcastle Jets

Western United are 8/11 to win on Friday and wreak revenge for their 4-1 Australia Cup defeat to Newcastle Jets last July. Those odds imply a probability of 57.9% while the visitors, who triumphed twice in league action against their next opponents last season, losing the other, are given a 26.7% chance of picking up all three points as they are priced at 11/4.

The draw is also available at 11/4, both teams to score at 4/9, and over 3.5 total goals at 11/10.

Western United forward Hiroshi Ibusuki, who took his season tally to seven - just one behind leading marksman Joe Lolley (Sydney FC) - with a brace in last week's 4-3 win over Melbourne Victory, is 21/20 favourite in the anytime goalscorer market ahead of strike partner Noah Botic (13/10) whose strike at AAMI Park last Friday was his fourth of the campaign. Ben Gibson (8/5), who opened the scoring for the Newcastle Jets in their 3-1 defeat to Macarthur last Sunday, is first up in the market for the visitors.

Match Result & Total Goals Over/Under 2.5 - Western United & Over 2.5 Goals @ 13/10

Western United have won five of their last six ALM games and have collected more points (15) than any other team in the division in that period. Impressively, four of those victories were achieved away from home with Aloisi's side playing just once at Ironbark Fields - a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar on December 29 - since drawing 0-0 with Macarthur there on December 7.

Friday's match will only be United's fourth at the stadium this season, though. Two of their first five 'home' games were played at AAMI Park against Melbourne City (0-1) and Melbourne Victory (1-3), as Ironbark Fields wasn't deemed suitable for a Melbourne derby.

So, United are unbeaten in three games at Ironbark Fields in 2024/25, and considering the form they are in - home and away - they are an easy side to back for all three points this week, particularly given the struggles of their next opponents, Newcastle Jets, this season.

The Jets have won just three times this term and since an impressive 2-1 victory at Macarthur in gameweek two on October 25, have only beaten the two clubs below them - Perth Glory (0-4) and Brisbane Roar (0-1) - in the table. Stanton's side lost 3-1 at home to Macarthur last Sunday and have suffered seven defeats this season, with a top-six finish already looking beyond them.

Goals have been an issue for Newcastle as they have scored just 13 times in their first 11 matches with only the Glory (nine), the Roar and the Central Coast Mariners (both 12) netting fewer. However, they haven't blanked in any of their last five games - not since a 1-0 defeat at home to Adelaide United on December 7 - and have scored in eight of their contests, while United have kept just three clean sheets this campaign.

Backing a home win and both teams to score could be a shout at 9/5 as it has landed in five of United's six victories, but I'm going to play things slightly safer here and go for Aloisi's charges to win and over 2.5 total goals. They have kept back-to-back clean sheets at Ironbark Fields, only conceding once there this season (in a 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers on October 27).

United have scored at least three goals in four of their last six matches, netting 16 times. Their games have averaged 4.3 goals in that period.

Anytime Goalscorer - Abel Walatee (WU) @ 23/10

Western United winger Abel Walatee looks a decent price in the anytime goalscorer market on Friday having scored in two of his five starts this season, netting in the 4-3 triumph over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on December 14 and grabbing his side's second in last week's win by the same scoreline against Victory.

The 20-year-old only made his debut for the club in April last year and went on to make a further two appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring in United's 4-3 win over Perth Glory. Clearly, Walatee likes a strike in a 4-3 win, and if you're feeling ambitious, you can back him to open the scoring - or finish it - on Friday and the hosts to win 4-3 at 200/1.

I'm not going as far as to tip such an outcome, but certainly, a goal is well within his grasp.

Walatee is averaging 0.8 shots per game in the ALM despite averaging just 45 minutes per match and is hitting the target with half of his efforts at goal. The sample size is small but he's shown that when given the opportunity, he rarely lets the side down, and with Ibusuki and Botic not far off EVS in the market, I think it's worth taking a look at Walatee.

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down.

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.