There is one match left in the MLS 2023 weekend and it comes along at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday evening when two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference meet when Atlanta United host Philadelphia Union.
These two teams sit comfortably inside the top seven in the Eastern Conference table and will be looking to push on over the remainder of the campaign and then target a deep run in the playoffs when they come along.
Where to watch
The match will once again be shown via the Apple TV MLS Season Pass although you only need to subscribe to Apple TV to watch this one. The build-up begins at 8.55pm with the kick off at 9.25pm. The match will also be available via the bookmakers.
Atlanta United
In the main Atlanta United are having a positive season but they have hit a period where they have won just one of their last seven matches, which has seen them lose touch with the very top of the table but still has them in a decent enough position. Their surprisingly emphatic defeat to New York Red Bulls last weekend was their first in eight though so they certainly aren’t going badly but will want to turn a few more of their draws into wins.
If there is a concern which might materialise over the next week or two it could be that the impact of Thiago Almada has just lessened a touch. He has been away on international duty which hasn’t helped but either side of that his numbers have just slowed off a touch. It would benefit Atlanta massively were their elite playmaker to hit top form again. Another issue is that it is now just two clean sheets in their last 14 matches.
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Philadelphia Union
A lot has been made of the kind of two halves of the season so far for the Philadelphia Union and that is entirely understandable. Expectations will have been raised when they made the MLS Cup final last season but the impact of the Champions League really can’t be played down while MLS is the secondary league in terms of success. Their form since they were knocked out of that competition has been what we come to expect from the Union.
Philadelphia have turned into one of the better attacking teams in MLS in recent seasons. Even though they haven’t been at full pelt for the whole of the season, heading into the weekend only three teams had scored more goals than the Union. A win here moves them to within seven points of Cincinnati at the top of the East and all of a sudden the team who finished top of the table last term could be on track to do it again.
Betting
I’m looking forward to this match. We have two of the best teams in the league on show here regardless of what the league table tells us and I’m expecting an entertaining match as a result. To be fair there aren’t many matches in Atlanta that are not entertaining with the home side always having plenty of intent to go out on the front foot and get a huge crowd onside. I don’t see that changing here but there is a vulnerability to the ‘Five Stripes’ at the back.
As a general rule Atlanta aren’t really doing clean sheets this season and they are going to find it tough to contain the Philadelphia front three, who incredibly all missed out on the All-Stars team and might have a point to prove. The Union defence are going to have their hands full against this classy Atlanta attack as well though so I find it hard to see a match which isn’t full of goals here. No team have had more matches with at least three goals in it than Atlanta this term while Philadelphia have seen their last four have at least that many. I expect this to have at least three and potentially a whole lot more.
Tips
Back Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.90 with Bet365
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