On Saturday, fourth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers will play host to a Melbourne Victory side that are currently propping up the A-League table.

The Wanderers are well set to qualify for the playoffs, but the visitors have their work cut out to reach the post season with four points separating them from the top six.

Match preview

Western Sydney have been unable to build upon the impressive 4-0 win that they pulled off against their city rivals Sydney FC on March 18.

Since that statement victory, Marko Rudan's side have lost 3-2 to Adelaide United, before they played out a 2-2 draw with Macarthur last weekend.

Despite taking the lead against Macarthur through Brandon Borrello, Western Sydney looked to be heading to defeat when a Luke Rose equaliser was followed by a 91st-minute strike from Alhassan Toure.

Fortunately for the Wanderers, Borrello managed to find the net in the fifth minute of stoppage time to snatch a point, ensuring that Western Sydney have now drawn six of their 12 away league games this season - more than any other side in the A-League.

With six points separating them from second-placed Adelaide, a top-two finish looks to be out of reach, but at the very least they will want to keep hold of fourth position, which would secure them a home tie for the first round of the playoffs.

Melbourne Victory, meanwhile, have failed to live up to the lofty expectations set by last season's second-placed finish, having picked up just 25 points from 23 games this time around.

With three games left to play, the Victory are four points adrift of the top six, and with five teams currently sitting between themselves and the playoffs, their hopes of qualifying for the post season are hanging by a thread.

Tony Popovic's side looked to be on an upward trajectory when they claimed consecutive victories over Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix, but since those encouraging results, they have picked up just one point from two games.

After losing narrowly to A-League leaders and their local rivals Melbourne City, the Victory played out a goalless draw in their home encounter with Perth Glory last time out.

If they are to make a last-ditch attempt to reach the playoffs, Saturday's visitors will most likely need to win all three of their final fixtures, which is something that they have not achieved since the closing stages of the 2021-22 season.

Team News

Western Sydney will be unable to call upon centre-back Marcelo, who will serve the second and final game of a two-match suspension.

Thomas Beadling returned to the side to replace Marcelo in the backline last weekend, and he will continue his central defensive partnership with Tomislav Mrcela.

Yeni N'Gbakoto dropped down to the bench against Macarthur, but after providing the assist for Borrello's late equaliser as a substitute, he could return to the lineup on Saturday.

As for the visitors, they are still without the services of Nani, Jake Brimmer and Matt Bozinovkski, who are all ruled out through injury.

After missing the goalless draw with Perth due to a hip issue, Jason Geria remains a doubt for Saturday's encounter.

Ben Folami was introduced as a half-time substitute last weekend, and the winger is in contention to start against Western Sydney.

Western Sydney Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Thomas; Simmons, Mrcela, Beadling, Traore; N'Gbakoto, Nieuwenhof, Schneiderlin, Amalfitano; Ninkovic, Borrello

Melbourne Victory possible starting lineup:
Izzo; Nigro, Da Silva, Roderick, Cadete; Folami, Chapman, Rai, Velupillay; Romero, Fornaroli

We say: Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 Melbourne Victory

Melbourne Victory have lost their last three away meetings with Western Sydney Wanderers and after losing seven of their last eight away games in the A-League, we think that they will leave CommBank Stadium empty-handed.

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