A-League Tips and Predictions: Grand Final - Melbourne City v Central Coast Mariners

It all comes down to this!

Buoyed on by correctly picking three out of our last four tips in the A-League, we’ll cast our eyes over the betting markets one last time for the Grand Final.

Melbourne City vs Central Coast Mariners

Melbourne City start as deserved favourites, having only dropped three games for the whole season.

Jamie Maclaren has been a runaway winner of the regular season golden boot and will lead a line boasting the best attacking qualities in the league.

It is worth mentioning though they were hot favourites heading into last years final too, but were unable to breakdown a plucky Western United side on the day, eventually losing 2-0.

Mariners coach Nick Montgomery has billed the game as a “David vs Goliath battle” this week, but this match should be closer than that.

Central Coast have proven in the last month they can play disciplined and resolute football when needed, and will not be a pushover.

Cult hero Jason Cummings looks set to play his last game for Mariners (apparently moving to Mohun Began, where he will be the highest paid player in Indian Football) and will look to end on a high.

Let's not forget the namesake midfield battle; Marco Tilio (Melbourne City) vs Marco Tulio (Central Coast) will go head to head as key playmakers for their respective sides.

The odds are favouring goals to be scored.

Of the last six A-League finals only one has gone over 2.5 goals in regulation time - and that particular match had an early red card.

Mariners will be stingy and should make City really earn their goals.

In these high stakes game, you turn to your stars for inspiration, and they don’t get much bigger than Jamie Maclaren.

Surprisingly has yet to score in a final from three attempts, he will look to rectify this. Also helps that he is their designated penalty taker.

Betting Prediction: Jamie MacLaren 1st Goalscorer @ $3.80 Betting Prediction: Under 3 goals @ $1.94