As the 2021/22 A-League Men’s season comes to a close, we are set for a tight finish to the season.
The three Victorian-based clubs are in contention to take out the A-League Men’s Premiers Plate, with their final fixtures set to be played out in the coming days.
With an exciting end to the season upon us, here’s a look at how Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory and Western United can be crowned premiers come the end of the home and away season.
Melbourne City
Having missed their chance to clinch the premiership earlier in the week, losing 2-0 to 12th placed side Perth Glory, they’ve opened up the doors for their noisy VIC neighbours to steal the plate.
Currently sitting on top by a point, City are the last of the three teams to play their final regular season match. Coming up against the Wellington Phoenix on May 9.
City defeat the Phoenix and they’ll be crowned premiers. Though if results go their way in others fixtures, they may not need even a draw.
Should Sydney defeat the Victory and Western United fall to Adelaide United in the days prior, City will be holding the Premiers Plate once again.
Melbourne Victory
12 months after taking out the A-League Men’s wooden spoon, the Victory find themselves currently sitting second on the table. A point behind City and behind on goal difference, the Melbourne Victory needs a win over Sydney FC to clinch the premiership.
The first of the three sides to play out their final home and away season fixture, the pressure will be on the Victory to take all three-points against fierce rivals Sydney FC. However, with Sydney currently out of form and coming off a tiring Asian Champions League campaign, the Victory will come in favourites.
If they beat Sydney, they’ll momentarily sit top of the table. To finish the season as premiers they’ll also need results in other fixtures to go there way. United draw or lose to Adelaide and City lose to the Phoenix the Victory will finish top.
Western United
One of the surprise packets of the season, very few expected United to be fighting to the premiership having missed the finals last year.
Having gone through a massive rebuild over the offseason, John Aloisi’s men have had an incredible campaign which they’d be hoping to cap off with club’s first bit of silverware.
Having sat on top of the table for large portions this season, United currently sit third on the table. Equal on points with the Victory but behind on goal difference, they too will need results to go their way in other games in addition to taking all three points in their fixture.
If the Victory lose to Sydney on May 7 and United defeat Adelaide at Cooper Stadium the follow evening they’ll jump to the top of the table. City lose to the Phoenix the next day, and they will be crowned premiers.
A Steven Bradbury-esque way to win the plate, it will be one of the dramatic endings to an A-League Men season in recent memory.
