Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix Tips & Predictions - Phoenix unbeaten in last six meetings with Victory

Victory can't be backed as $1.45 favourites here - they are coming off a miserable 3-0 defeat to the Newcastle Jets in their most-recent encounter, while they haven't defeated Wellington inside 90 minutes in the last six meetings between the teams. Admittedly, Phoenix haven't been great this season, but they still come into this contest unbeaten in four games. Our best bet for this clash is Wellington at +1.5 (meaning they can lose by a single-goal margin for the bet to land), while smaller stakes are on the Double Chance market and Phoenix to prevail outright, just like they did in Unite Round earlier this season.

As mentioned, Phoenix are unbeaten in the last six meetings between the teams (inside 90 minutes). Wellington stunned Victory 1-0 back in Round 5 at Allianz Stadium as Kosta Barbarouses scored a late winner.

It appeared as if Victory had rediscovered their mojo after winning back-to-back games over Sydney FC and Perth Glory by 2-0 scores.

However, all of their good work went out the window with a dismal performance last week, which sees them clinging onto a finals posiiton in sixth.

Victory were crushed 3-0 on the road by the lowly Newcastle Jets, with new coach Arthur Diles back under pressure, with his team failing to win seven of the nine games since Patrick Kisnorbo departed in December.

No injury problems for Victory who again have a full-strength squad to choose from here.

Phoenix are six points adrift of the finals spots after winning just five of their 15 games for the season, experiencing a letdown after fantastic 23/24 campaign.

Wellington missed a golden chance to inch closer to the top six after drawing 1-1 against rock-bottom Brisbane Roar at home last week. To be fair, they were controversially denied a goal through VAR for offside.

The Kiwi club are proving tough to beat lately, also drawing with the Mariners and Sydney over the past month, along with defeating Macarthur 2-1 on the road.

Alex Rufer remains sidelined as he continues to battle a bad bout of glandular fever.