The Loons will be back in MLS action on Saturday (8.30pm ET), as they take on the Revs in front of a home crowd. Can either team get back to winning ways after both drawing last time out? We’ll soon see when Minnesota United take on the New England Revolution at Allianz Field. This preview, with betting predictions and picks, aims to work it all out.
Since their Leagues Cup campaign ended with a crushing defeat to Nashville SC, the Minnesota men have dusted themselves down and got on with business in rather pleasing fashion. First time out back in Major League Soccer, the Loons got the job done away from home, winning in New York against NYCFC, scoring twice and keeping a clean sheet in the process. That win was followed by a sturdy tie against the Sounders, before Saturday’s hosts beat the Colorado Rapids in convincing fashion in front of a home crowd. Sure, they tied last time out, but a point in San Jose is far from the worst result in the world, while it signaled four games without defeat for Adrian Heath’s men.
The Revs are going through something of an uncertain time at minute. Their head coach Bruce Arena is suspended following allegations of racial slurs just over a month ago, which hasn’t helped the team on the field. Saturday’s visitors have been up and down since the Leagues Cup concluded, losing one, winning one and drawing one, though they are now unbeaten two, which could leave them feeling confident ahead of the trip to Allianz Field.
MNUFC keeping it tight
Having returned from the Leagues Cup, Minnesota have done a solid job of keeping things tight. It is that relatively sturdy defense that has provided the platform for their recent resurgence. Thanks to their run of four games unbeaten, conceding just two goals in the process, the Loons find themselves comfortably in the playoff spots, which is exactly where they want to be.
The hosts also have one of the best home defensive records in the Western Conference this season, conceding a reasonably respectable average of 1.08 goals per game at Allianz Field. Only four of the 14 teams in the west have conceded fewer home goals than Heath’s men, who have only conceded more than once in just one of their nine home league games since the start of May.
Away-day issues for visiting NE Revs
The New England Revolution have enjoyed themselves in the Eastern Conference this season. They are currently sitting in second place in the east and are well on course to make another appearance in the playoffs. However, their solid league position is largely down to their form at home. Sure, they have picked up some points away from home, but they’ve found it incredibly tough to get their heads in front on the road, which should fill the hosts with confidence.
The team, still technically coached by Bruce Arena, is without an away-day victory since beating Toronto on the road in the first week of May. That means that in Major League Soccer, they have gone seven away games without picking up a win. They have lost four of those seven, failing to score in three.
The main problem on the road is that they don’t score goals on a regular enough basis, at least not as many as they have conceded. During their seven-game winless run, they’ve given away 13 and scored seven, netting just three in their last four.
We know that with the likes of Carles Gil and Bobby Wood in their ranks, both of whom have seven goals to their name in MLS this season, the Loons carry a threat. These players need to offer more regular performances on their travels.
Revs on top recently
In recent times the Revs have had the best of this fixture. When the teams last met, in June of last year, the New England Revolution won by two goals to one in front of a home crowd, while they also won 2-1 when the teams faced off prior to that.
However, when the pair last met at Allianz Field, Minnesota won by two goals to one, which is clearly a common scoreline in this fixture. Interestingly, no team has won this fixture when playing away from home. The four previous competitive renewals have all gone the way of the home team.
Lack of goals incoming?
In recent times, these two franchises have played out some high-scoring fixtures, with at least three goals being notched in each of the four previous renewals. However, with the Loons not exactly scoring too many at home and generally keeping their visitors down to a minimum, coupled with the Revs relative offensive struggles on the road, ‘Under 2.5 Goals’ looks to be quite generously priced here.
As touched on in this preview above, Minnesota United don’t concede much at home, but they also don’t score too many. If we look only at their home efforts in MLS, discounting the recently concluded Leagues Cup, we can see that they’ve scored more than once in just one of their last four home games, as well as in just two of their last eight. In those eight games, they have conceded more than a single goal on only one occasion.
If we look at the Revs on the road, then they’ve scored more than once in just one of their last five, as well as in only two of their last eight. They have also failed to score in two of their last four on the road, and in their last away game, producing a paltry total of just 0.04 expected goals, registering only two shots all game.
All things considered, we probably shouldn’t be too surprised if this game isn’t littered with goals, and at the early prices, this MNUFC vs NE Revs preview and its betting predictions will be wagering with the USA sports betting firms that it’s not. So for the picks, stick with this one:
Bradley Gibbs writes on MLS and other global soccer leagues for USA Betting. He also pens betting guides and strategy. Bradley has written for numerous sites and publications including Just Bookies and the Racing & Football Outlook.