Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix are currently tied on 11 points, positioned ninth and tenth in the league respectively, indicating a similar level of overall strength. Melbourne Victory's attack has struggled this season, scoring only seven goals in nine league matches, while conceding twelve. Although they've recently kept a clean sheet, their overall form has been inconsistent. Wellington Phoenix has a relatively stronger attack, having scored thirteen goals in nine games; however, their defence has vulnerabilities, conceding fifteen goals. The away side's performance away from home has been poor, with no wins in three away matches, managing only two draws. Both teams have several key players sidelined due to injuries, impacting their squad depth to varying degrees. With both teams level on points and needing to secure points, external opinions on the match are cautious, suggesting that the game's outcome may depend on in-match tactical execution and defensive stability. The decisive increase in the handicap, going beyond merely relying on basic data, strongly suggests external confidence in the home team. Even with the handicap raised to one goal, the external support for the home side remains, despite the home team's modest attacking statistics. This, coupled with a simultaneous decrease in the European home win odds, further highlights external confidence in the home team's defence. The current trends in external data fully favour and protect the home team, with external enthusiasm and handicap adjustments in close alignment, indicating a clear intention. In conclusion, the external data, through increased handicap and water level control, clearly indicates a strong preference, making the home team a reliable choice. Prediction: Melbourne Victory -1.