A-League tips & bookie specials, Melbourne City vs. Brisbane Roar

Saturday, December 3, 2016, 7.50pm AEDST, AAMI Park, watch on Fox Sports

THIS one is brewing as the contest of the season to date.

The second-placed Melbourne Victory host the fourth-placed Brisbane Roar in a match in which both teams bring in terrific form.

Melbourne City’s last loss was a round five defeat at the hands of its Saturday night opponents.

The 1-0 defeat to the Roar was the first time City has been kept goalless in the 2016/17 campaign. The Melburnians have since gone on to record seven points from their last three matches to pull within four points of league leaders, Sydney FC.

Since toppling City in round five, Brisbane has recorded three straight draws, the last of which being a 1-1 deadlock against the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Roar manager John Aloisi said that while the results may not be in their favour in terms of securing full points, the ability to find ways to register at least a point in the face of adversity is the most pleasing aspect throughout a frustrating period.

“We’re disappointed with our performance but the Wanderers are a good team. We came here and played against a team that dominated and we found it hard,” Aloisi said.

“They pinned us back in the second half and we started to invite pressure and that happens when you give away the ball.

“The positive is that it shows good character in the team when you don’t play well but are still getting results.”

First goal scorer tips

Melbourne City

Bruno Fornaroli ($4.50 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Uruguayan marksman Bruno Fornaroli is City’s best hope at putting his name on the scorer’s sheet first on Saturday night.

The City front man has scored in four of his last six matches, and found the back of the net for the first goal of the match twice in that period.

Last year’s Golden Boot winner is one the best finishers in the league and we think he is the best first goal scorer bet of the weekend.

Brisbane Roar

Jamie Maclaren ($7 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Few players in Australia have the innate goal sense that Jamie Maclaren possesses, which makes him the logical choice for the first goal scorer bet for the Roar.

Since round four Maclaren has found the back of the net on three separate occasions, each of which was the first goal of the match.

The former Glory front man scored the only goal of the round five matchup between the two sides, and we would not be at all surprised if the Melbourne-native found the back of the net first on Saturday night.

Match predictions

Match result: Melbourne City ($1.91 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Correct match score: Melbourne City 3 Brisbane Roar 1 ($13 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Total match goals: Over 2.5 ($1.63 with Sportsbet.com.au)

We are backing City’s class to shine on Saturday night against a Brisbane Roar team that has lacked a killer edge over the last three weeks.

Melbourne City has recorded seven points from their last three outings while the Roar has only managed three points from the same period. In that time Brisbane has failed to keep a clean sheet which spells trouble against one of the most prolific scoring teams in the league.

We are also favouring the over market in the total goals.

In the last three match ups between the sides there has been a total of nine goals scored, and there is just one clean sheet between the two sides in a combined ten games. It all points towards a shootout at AAMI Park.

City will be bitter that the Roar inflicted their last loss and will be keen to atone on their home pitch.

Unless Brisbane can turnaround their poor defensive efforts that have plagued their last three weeks of football we cannot see a way they can quell the influence of the City front third.

We are backing City to get the win in a high scoring affair.