Western Sydney Wanderers v Western United: A-League Sunday preview

Western Sydney Wanderers play host to Western United in the A-League on Sunday and CommBank Stadium is set to stage a blockbuster clash between two sides bang in form.

Alen Stajcic's hosts are unbeaten in eight games since a 1-0 defeat at home to ladder leaders Auckland FC in late January, while the visitors have strung together five consecutive victories following their own home loss to the Black Knights - 2-0 in mid-February.

Wanderers still have work to do to secure a top-six spot and finals football, while United are seemingly in a battle with Auckland and Melbourne City for a top-two finish and could even sneak the minor premiership for the first time.

Western Sydney Wanderers v Western United betting preview

Hosts boosted by new Thomas deal

Three-time Grand Final runners-up Wanderers head into this game boosted by the news that goalkeeper and club captain Lawrence Thomas has signed a new two-year contract, however, both Dylan Scicluna and Jeong Tae-Wook miss out due to injury.

Thirty-two-year-old Thomas has been a key figure for Western Sydney since returning to the A-League from Danish club SønderjyskE, although he has kept just three clean sheets this season as his side have adopted an attacking approach.

Both teams have scored is their four most recent matches, including a 1-1 draw in Auckland last time out, in which Nicolas Milanovic netted for the fifth game in a row.

The midfielder will no doubt be eager to impress against his former club on Sunday and he can be backed at 2.75 to score at anytime at CommBank Stadium, having found the back of the net three times against United last season.

Bozhidar Kraev is a 3.60 shot in the same market and the Bulgaria international has found the net in three of his last four A-League outings, with he and Milanovic making up for the fact that Brandon Borrello has only scored once in his last 12 appearances.

The H2H in previous meetings between these two sides is almost dead level, with the clash at Ironbark Fields earlier this season having ended in a 1-1 draw as Hiroshi Ibusuki cancelled out Borrello’s early opener.

United aim to extend winning streak to six

United, 2022 A-League champions, head to Western Sydney will almost a fully fit squad to choose from, with Abel Walatee the only notable absentee for head coach John Aloisi.

Former Socceroos striker Aloisi has overseen a superb run of five straight wins which has seen his side emerge as genuine top-two contenders, while also giving them an outside chance of claiming the minor premiership.

Indeed, the 2-0 reverse in Auckland was their only loss in their last 10 games and they have netted 19 goals in their last five outings, although they have conceded in four of those fixtures.

Young midfielder Rhys Bozinovski has hit the goal trail in recent outings, scoring four times in his last three appearances, having previously netted once during the season up to that point.

Bozinovski is out at 5.00 to score again at CommBank Stadium, while veteran Japanese forward Ibusuki is in at 2.62, having notched twice in his last five appearances to take his tally for the season to nine.

That is two less than Australia Under-23s striker Noah Botic, who is 2.62 to add to his 11 goals for the campaign, which includes no fewer than eight in his last 10 appearances.

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Western Sydney Wanderers v Western United odds

Western Sydney Wanderers - 2.25
Draw - 4.00
Western United - 2.80

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.