The New England Revolution return home after a disappointing trip to Los Angeles and they take on Nashville SC in the MLS at Gillette Stadium on Saturday (6.30pm ET; 11.30pm GMT). Can the hosts bounce back at the Foxborough venue? Or will the visitors pick up their first road win of the campaign? This Revs vs Nashville predictions and preview article aims to find out before deciding on our betting picks.
Early-season form
The new campaign had started perfectly for the Revs. In front of an expectant home crowd at Gillette Stadium on game-day two, they got the job done, beating the Houston Dynamo in fine style. That win followed a hard-fought road victory in Charlotte, so it’s fair to say that Bruce Arena’s men went to Los Angeles feeling good last weekend. They weren’t feeling great when they left Banc of California Stadium, though, as they were severely beaten, losing by four goals to nil. They now must bounce back.
For Nashville, things started well, and they have continued to go well for the team that already looks like it will once again be one of the hardest to beat across the entirety of Major League Soccer. The men from Music City kicked things off with a home win against NYCFC, scoring two and not conceding. They then followed up with a solid tie away against the Red Bulls, again showing their defensive solidity, while they extended their clean-sheet run to three games last time out by beating CF Montreal by two goals to nil at home. Therefore, Gary Smith’s men will go to Massachusetts feeling confident.
Important not to overreact
The Revs were humbled last time out, there can be no denying that. On the road, they were absolutely no match for the 2022 MLS Cup winners, and in truth, by trying to dominate possession and get on the front foot, they essentially played into LAFC’s hands, and were duly picked off.
However, we should not overreact to that. Few teams have the capabilities of LAFC when they are firing, while we know how good the Revs can be on home soil. Prior to that defeat in Los Angeles, they were much the better team when beating the Dynamo at home and are probably better judged on that effort. On that occasion, they worked the ball well, created chances and crucially, they were clinical in front of goal through the likes of Bobby Wood and Brandon Bye.
Away at Charlotte, they were again efficient in front of goal, while they showed that they can hold teams off, so it would not be a surprise if they got far more competitive here than they did last weekend.
Nashville hard to get rid of
The trouble for the hosts is that the Nashville boys are incredibly difficult to move when they dig their heels in, which they often do. Over the last few seasons, if there has been a team who knows how to go and frustrate on the road, then it is Nashville SC.
As we have seen in each of their three games so far in the 2023 season, they are organised, disciplined out of possession, while when push comes to shove, they have what it takes to make the difference in the final third. With someone like the creative Hany Mukhtar in their side, they do not need to dominate games from start to finish to make decisive moves. The German has already registered two assists this season and is once again looking like a key player for the men in yellow.
Not much between the pair
When this pair face off in Major League Soccer, there tends to be little between them. Three of the previous four competitive renewals of this fixture have ended all square. When the teams last met, at this venue back in late 2021, they tied 0-0. Prior to that, Nashville won 2-0 at home.
Interestingly, the Revs have never beaten Nashville SC in an MLS game. It’s also interesting that in the four games between the pair, no more than two goals have ever been scored, while five of a possible eight clean sheets have been recorded.
Revs vs Nashville: Where’s the bet?
This is an interesting MLS matchup. The hosts will be better suited to playing at home and they ought to put on a better showing than they did in Los Angeles last weekend. However, they are up against a very strong Nashville side, one that often goes away and shuts up shop. That could be a problem.
With the betting lines from the U.S. sportsbooks the way they currently are, there may just be some juice left in ‘Under 2.5 Goals’ at odds of -132. Nashville SC are yet to concede in the 2023 season and that is very much by design. They are often set up with restricting their opponents in mind. Smith’s men know how to take sting out of a game. This often lends itself to low-scoring games. Not only have they recorded a shutout in three out of three, but each of those three games have contained less than three goals.
Similarly, the Revs had been doing a good job of giving little away prior to suffering at LAFC. Against Charlotte, they kept a clean sheet, while they also shut out the Houston Dynamo. In those two games they conceded a respectable average of 0.9 xG.
This could be a case of the hosts pushing and the visitors resisting, much as they did on the road at the Red Bulls. If any team knows how to go away and grind out a point, it is Nashville. Whether they get the positive result or not, their approach is fancied to be the catalyst for a low-scoring game and bettors can make it pay by taking ‘Under 2.5 Goals’. So for the betting picks for this MLS game preview, it’s the one suggested betting tip:
- Under 2.5 goals @ -132 with Bovada.
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.