- Manningham United Blues have won three and lost two of their last five matches.
- Western United FC U21 have lost four of their last five, but won their two most recent head-to-heads in NPL Victoria 2.
- The hosts have won six and lost only two of their eight home matches in NPL Victoria 2.
Manningham will be wary of U21s’ potential
Manningham United Blues come into this fixture as odds-on favourites at 1.84 against Western United FC U21, who are available at a massive 3.15.
While this fixture might look unbalanced on paper, the U21s have won both of their two previous clashes against their opponents in this division, including a 6-3 victory on the road last season.
The Blues, who're sat 5th in NPL Victoria 2 with 25 points from 15 matches, have not won at home against Western in recent meetings, who's much further back in 12th place with just 15 points from as many games.
Blues will be tested by U21s’ style
The hosts, who're a pragmatic, structure-first side, will test the quality of Western's high-pressers on Saturday. They tend to set up with a narrow midfield and allow the wide men to pinch in, making it tough for opponents to break them down.
Their main strategy revolves around a solid defensive unit, which can then break with pace and directness. They average 1.88 goals per home game, and have been very potent on their own patch.
On the other hand, the visitors play a very different style. They're an academy-driven team that look to build from the back with numerical superiority, and their young team is aggressive with the ball, looking to press high up the pitch.
U21s’ away form is a concern
This clash of styles is a fascinating matchup in itself, with Western's fluid 4-3-3 pressing style looking to create overloads out wide and win the ball back high up the field, while the Blues' compact shape and solid structure will look to absorb pressure and hit teams on the break.
The only thing that's kept the visitors from getting completely out of hand this season is the fact they have conceded 19 goals in their seven away matches. The U21s have lost four of their last five matches, and have failed to get a point in any of their three most recent road trips.
The Blues have been solid at home of late, winning their last two games, and look likely to get the win here against a very poor away side. However, Western's stunning 6-3 win over Manningham just three months ago, and the Blues' failure to win at home to the U21s, could make this a more interesting game than expected.
