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December 10 2024, 07:30 · Alex Lawes

Melbourne City vs Auckland Preview: Team News & Prediction

Melbourne City vs Auckland Preview: Team News & Prediction
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We have one of the perennially stronger sides in the A League, Melbourne City, now taking on the league leaders, Auckland, who are in their first ever season as a franchise or club.

Kick-off date/time: Sunday 15th December, 2024: UK – 6:00am / US ET – 1:00am / Saturday 14th December, 2024 - US PT – 10:00pm

How to watch on TV/online: UK – YouTube / US – ESPN / Australia – Paramount+

Melbourne City Team News: Several injuries

Melbourne City are dealing with several injury issues and especially in attacking areas as Australia international attacking duo Mathew Leckie and Andrew Nabbout remains sidelined alongside the likes of Marco Tilio and Max Caputo. 

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Beach; Atkinson, Trewin, Souprayen, Behich; Cohen, Ugarkovic, Jeggo, Politidis; Sulemani, Kuen

Unavailable: Necovski (Injured), Lopane (Injued), Leckie (Injured), Tilio (Injured), Nabbout (Injured), Caputo (Injured)

Questionable: 

Auckland Team News: Fully fit

Auckland have a fully fit and available squad for this weekend’s trip to Victoria with no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues. Given their strong start to the campaign, there is no reason for them to make any changes this week. 

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Paulsen; Sakai, Hall, Pijnaker, De Vries; Rogerson, Verstraete, Gallegos, Gillion; May, Brimmer

Unavailable: 

Questionable: 

Melbourne City vs Auckland Prediction

Melbourne City, as they try to re-establish themselves as regular season title challenger for this campaign, have started the season with four victories and two defeats. They come into this one on the back of an impressive 4-1 hammering of bottom-of-the-table and winless Brisbane Roar in their most recent outing last weekend. They now face an Auckland side that, owned by Bill Foley, have started their first ever A League season with six wins from six but performances have been a little unconvincing of late and they did, remarkably, concede for the first time last week in a 2-1 defeat of the Central Coast Mariners. Auckland are ‘due a defeat’ and against a strong side away from home, a double chance bet in favour of Melbourne City may well represent good value. 

Melbourne City vs Auckland Tip: Double chance – Melbourne City to win or draw