Australia A league Round 9 Western United FC v Melbourne Victory preview

Mark Rudan’s side made a good start to life in the Hyundai A-League – including a 3-2 win over Victory in Round 4 – but things have gone south of late.

Not only have United failed to win any of their last three games, they have also failed to find the net and are now at risk of dropping out of the top six for the first time this season.

Victory head into this clash off the back of their morale-boosting 1-0 win over Perth Glory last Friday night.

The victory eased a bit of the pressure on coach Marco Kurz who will be hoping his fit-again attacking trio of Robbie Kruse, Andrew Nabbout and Ola Toivonen can inspire them to back-to-back wins for the first time in 2019/20.

Victory recorded a hard-fought 1-0 win over Perth Glory last time out thanks to a goal from Robbie Kruse.

Kruse, 31, scored his first goal since returning to Victory and produced a brilliant performance in Leigh Broxham's 300th Hyundai A-League outing for the club.

The attacker was making his first start of the season and now has a goal and an assist in just 149 minutes of action this campaign.

The result saw Victory end a four-match winless run ahead of a trip to GMHBA Stadium.

Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas kept his 26th Hyundai A-League clean sheet, moving him to within one of tying Michael Theo for most for the club.

Western United is on a three-match losing run and sits fifth on the table, two points ahead of Victory.

Did you know?

None of the last nine all-Victorian games in the Hyundai A-League have been won by the home team on the day (D3, L6).
Western United FC have lost their last three A-League games on the bounce and have been kept goalless in each of those defeats.
Melbourne Victory (48%) are the only team to have won less than half of their total tackle attempts this Hyundai A-League campaign.

Recommended bet : Draw or Melbourne Victory @1.61