A-League Week 23 Odds Preview: Sydney FC Betting Favourite for Split Week

Sydney FC could secure their first piece of silverware for the season during the split Round 23 of the A-League, with the Premiers' Plate in the Sky Blues' sights after a crucial win last week.

Sydney's third win of the season over Melbourne Victory on March 3 put them 11 points clear of their rivals with five matches to go.

Should Sydney defeat Central Coast Mariners on Friday night and Victory fail to get a win when they host Perth 24 hours later, then top spot, and the A-League premiership, is theirs for the keeping.

The first part of that equation looks pretty secure. Sydney are 33 points clear of the Mariners, have scored 19 goals more and have conceded 31 fewer goals across the season. Their two meetings so far this season have seen Sydney win 4-0 in October and 3-2 in January.

In-form striker Bobo, who scored the winner against Victory last week, has scored three goals in those two games and looks a major worry for the Mariners' defence, who are statistically the worst in the league.

Accordingly, the Sky Blues go into this one as $1.25 (AUD) favourites, according to AustralianGambling.com.au, with the Mariners at $9.50 and the draw at $6.50.

Melbourne Victory's sights must now be set on getting things sorted out in time to beat Sydney when Grand Final day comes along. The fact they have been swept by the Sky Blues in their three matches shows that coach Kevin Muscat has a lot of work to do over the next couple of months before they likely meet again.

Muscat's first task is his team finding confidence and form against Perth Glory, who beat the Victory when these two teams met in Perth in January.

Glory have lost just one in six since that match and did claim a point when these teams met in Melbourne earlier in the season.

It is an important game for the visitors, who are locked in a three-way battle for third spot with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City.

Glory are $4.30 outsiders for the match, with the draw priced at $4. Victory are $1.73 having won five of their past six at home and look in good position to at least keep the Premiers' Plate battle alive for another week.

The remaining six teams play the following week, with FFA splitting the round in order to assist the Asian Champions League campaigns of Brisbane, Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers.