The home games keep coming thick and fast for City fans, with another big matchup against the Wanderers ahead on Tuesday night.
After keeping our finals hopes alive with a 1-0 win over the league-leading Wellington side, we back up to face Western Sydney in a re-scheduled fixture due to Unite Round.
Here are a few key talking points heading into this clash.
The form guide
With just two points separating us on the table – and the Wanderers in the last finals spot just above us – this will be a game of fine margins.
Both teams come in having won just once in their last five, although we took ours most recently on Saturday while the Wanderers were soundly beaten 3-1 at home against Western United for their second defeat in a row.
On their side though, the Wanderers have scored in all but one of those recent games, including 3 in a draw against the Newcastle Jets, while we only found the net on three occasions.
Another opponent brings another long-standing period of dominance at home, with the Wanderers having not beaten us in the league at fortress AAMI Park since 2015.
Home ground advantage will once again be a major factor swinging things in our favour this week, your City boys having lost only one ALM match at home in season 2023/24.
Atoning for last time
While Round 12 was rescheduled from January, this matchup did occur as planned, although at the Wanderers’ CommBank Stadium in Sydney as part of the inaugural Unite Round.
Although technically the away side, Western Sydney did run out as winners 1-0, although it was City who had the lion’s share of possession, but as has been a theme this season, the opposition pounced on the counter and shut up shop in defence.
If we throw it back to the last time we really hosted them, it was a Marco Tilio 93rd-minute winner to seal Premiership success with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory in April 2023.
While he won’t be involved this time due to a hamstring injury, it’s an exciting prospect to think of who will step up in our quest to make it back-to-back wins.
Finals start now
With Saturday night’s win keeping our season alive, every game is important as we aim for as high of a finish on the table as possible.
We’ve got 5 games at AAMI (including this) out of our remaining seven in the regular season, having to travel only for the reverse meeting of this fixture and for another trip to face Central Coast.
Given our strong history of positive results at AAMI not just this season but in recent years, City fans will be hoping to see some big performances to ensure Finals qualification once again.
Fixture Details
A-League Men: Round 12
Melbourne City FC v Western Sydney Wanderers
Tuesday 12 March, 7:00PM KO
AAMI Park
