New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union Prediction: Both teams will apply caution

This coming MLS fixture between New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union is going to be an important clash, especially for Philadelphia, who struggle in the lower half of the Eastern Conference table.

The Red Bulls have not had a bad season but are currently lying 4th with a record of 10W, 12D, and 4L. Recently, though, they have been less than ideal. Only one win in their last five games, coupled with two draws and two losses. Their last outing was a 1-1 draw away to Charlotte FC, extending their winless run to three games.

Defensively, the Red Bulls have been solid, at least in low-scoring games. In five of their last seven, less than 2.5 goals have been seen, indicating a strong defensive structure but perhaps a lack of cutting edge up front. Going forward, they do struggle to score freely, although they have been finding the net in most games, with both teams scoring in five of their last six matches.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union has had a poor campaign by their standards and sit 10th in the league. They have indeed been in extremely poor form of late, with their last five games yielding them just one win and four losses. They come into this tie on the back of a 1-0 home loss to Columbus Crew, which was their fourth game on the bounce without a clean sheet.

The Union has also nearly seen both teams score in most of their recent matches, just like the Red Bulls, with five of their last six matches seeing both teams find the back of the net. However, they have struggled to keep clean sheets, conceding goals continuously, which has made things very hard for them to get up the table.

This is a head-to-head that heavily favors Philadelphia Union, as in the last 20 matches between them, Philadelphia comes out on top 12 times, while New York Red Bulls has managed to win only two, with six matches ending in draws. Going into this tie, Philadelphia remains unbeaten in their last 13 meetings against the Red Bulls, a record likely to bother the players of New York.

These have been low-scoring affairs down the years, too, with nine of the last ten clashes containing fewer than 2.5 goals. The defensive approach from both teams over the years has often translated to tight and closely contested games between them. Additionally, less than 10.5 corners have been witnessed in each of the last five meetings between these two, suggesting a cautious style of play that creates fewer attacking opportunities.

The Red Bulls will want to make good use of their higher league standing and home advantage. Their recent form, though, has been discordant, and the historical struggles with Philadelphia foretell a match that is not going to be an easy assignment. The Union, in spite of all their poor records of late, have a psychological advantage over them.

Based on recent trends from both sides, this could be a low-scoring match with less than 2.5 goals in it. With recent trends for both teams being involved in matches where both teams score, one possible correct score could be a 1-1 draw. While recent defensive frailties may prevent Philadelphia from taking all three points, their ability to avoid defeat against the Red Bulls may continue.

• Home Win or Draw and Under 3.5 Goals at 1.92 Odds
• Under 2.5 Goals Total at 2.28 Odds
• Correct Score 1-1 at 8.00 Odds