Action in the MLS will continue this week and here is a look at some of the interesting talking points to look out for during the action. Bet on MLS football here.
Home advantage to count for New York Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls will be out to build on back-to-back wins over Dallas and Atlanta United when they host Vancouver Whitecaps at their Red Bull Arena. The Metros had a poor start to their season but they have been showing signs of improvement lately. The hosts have ambitions of maintaining their spot in top seven in the Eastern Conference and therefore you can expect them to go all out in the midweek fixture. Vancouver Whitecaps, for their part, have been inconsistent and with the New York Red Bulls home record, it is very likely that the visitors will struggle in this fixture.
Ibrahimovic and Nani to star
Orlando City put an end to their four-game winless run in the Major League Soccer when they thrashed Cincinnati 5-1 in their last outing. However, they need to keep on improving if they are to book their place in the playoffs. They will play host to LA Galaxy on Saturday morning and all eyes will be on Nani, who scored a brace against Cincinnati. LA Galaxy, on the other hand, have struggled for form following four consecutive league losses. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to return from suspension and that and that should be a major boost for them.
Atlanta looking to bounce back
Real Salt Lake and Atlanta United are set to square it out at Rio Tinto Stadium this Saturday. The Royals have been in a superb form of late following wins against Colorado Rapids and Toronto in their previous two league fixtures. Atlanta United were beaten by New York Red Bulls in their last league match but they are still in the race for the top spot in the Western Conference. The visitors are a better team than their hosts and there is a good chance that they will be out to take all three points from this encounter.
Los Angeles FC to target top spot
Los Angeles will take on Montreal Impact in what is expected to be one of the most entertaining fixtures in the MLS this weekend. Los Angeles’ target is to cement the top spot in the Western Conference and they are likely to go all guns blazing at Montreal Impact. Montreal failed to impress in a goalless draw with New England at the weekend and have been poor generally in their travels. There is very little chance this will change in their trip to California, especially against a strong opponent.
Under 2.5 Goals
Chicago Fire have been one of the most unpredictable sides since the start of the season and they will host New York City this weekend. One thing for sure though is that they produce much better displays on home soil than on the road. New York City are a tough team to beat but Under 2.5 Goals were scored in each of their previous two meetings in the Major League Soccer. Going by current trends it is hard to look past Over 2.5 Goals and you can expect that the land once again this weekend.