It's advantage Melbourne City so far with their 2nd position in the A-League table, welcoming Western United who are placed 5th.
The visiting Western United played their last game only three days ago, a A-League match. That game was also an away game, at Brisbane Roar. It will be interesting to see if they are fully ready and rested for this match, and/or if some changes in the lineup is necessary.
Melbourne City form and stats
The home supporters can't complain about results here at Spotless Stadium as Melbourne City have scored 22 goals to get 27 points from 13 games. The overall stats in the A-League are 8-3-2 (wins-draws-losses).
A good away victory last time out for Melbourne, who won 3-1 against Western United. The spoils were shared after 90 minutes before that, a home game that ended 2-2 versus Adelaide United.
The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Melbourne have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found seven games) they have won four times, drawn one and lost two.
Melbourne have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Spotless Stadium with 22 goals in 13 league matches. 15 goals have been conceded.
Western United form and stats
The visitors are W7-D2-L4 on the road this term. That's in the A-League. It’s been three wins in a row for Western on their travels, an amazing performance which inspire hopes of making this one the fourth consecutive victory.
It's the second away game in a row for Western, but there's smiles all around after the 1-0 victory versus Brisbane Roar in the A-League last time out. The game before that, was lost at home, a 1-3 defeat against Melbourne City.
Western United are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is zero wins, one draw and one defeat. From a total of two matches.
Western United has displayed an ability to score goals in away matches in the league this season, 20 goals from 13 games. Western have conceded 13 goals in these away matches.
Head 2 Head
This is the result when the teams met earlier this season; Western United - Melbourne City 1-3. Head-to-head totals (for the last three meetings): Melbourne won three games, zero matches ended with a draw and Western United has zero wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: three / zeroTop Goalscorers
  J. MacLaren 22 goals |   B. Berisha 19 goals |  A. Diamanti 8 goals |
Melbourne City missing players
Western United missing players
| Melbourne City | Western United | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 26 | 13 | 5 | Played | P | 3 | 14 | 27 |
| 14 | 8 | 2 | Won | W | 2 | 8 | 13 |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | Drew | D | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | Lost | L | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| 49 | 22 | 5 | Scored | S | 3 | 21 | 47 |
| 37 | 15 | 6 | Conceded | C | 3 | 13 | 37 |
| 92% | 92% | 80% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 93% | 96% |
| 85% | 85% | 60% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 64% | 74% |
| 73% | 62% | 60% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 36% | 52% |
| 46% | 31% | 20% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 21% | 33% |
| 23% | 15% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 21% | 22% |
| 69% | 62% | 40% | BTTS | BTTS | 33% | 43% | 56% |
| 23% | 31% | 40% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 36% | 22% |
| 15% | 15% | 40% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 29% | 26% |
| 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.2 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| 5.3 | 5.5 | 7.8 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.7 | 6.9 | 6.4 |
| 2.3 | 2 | 1.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 2 | 2.3 |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 399 | 193 | 62 | Total Shots | T S | 22 | 132 | 319 |
| 155 | 68 | 18 | Shots on Target | S O | 13 | 55 | 119 |
| 32% | 32% | 28% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 23% | 38% | 39% |
- Melbourne City has the most matches over the total-line (18)
- Western United has the fewest dropped points from leading position (2)
- Western United have conceded at least twice as many corners as they have won away.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Sydney | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 25 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 24 | 53 |
| 2 | Melbourne City | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 49 | 37 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 15 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 22 | 12 | 47 |
| 3 | Wellington Phoenix | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 38 | 33 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 5 | 41 |
| 4 | Brisbane Roar | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 40 |
| 5 | Western United | 26 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 46 | 37 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 39 |
| 6 | Perth Glory | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 43 | 36 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 23 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 37 |
| 7 | Adelaide United | 26 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 44 | 49 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 26 | -5 | 36 |
| 8 | Newcastle Jets | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 32 | 40 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 24 | -8 | 34 |
| 9 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 35 | 40 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 24 | -5 | 33 |
| 10 | Melbourne Victory | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 33 | 44 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 17 | 23 | -11 | 23 |
| 11 | Central Coast Mariners | 26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 26 | 55 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 30 | -29 | 18 |