Nashville in the ascendency at DC
DC United host Nashville in a cross-conference MLS fixture on Saturday evening.
The hosts are sat second bottom of the Eastern Conference and desperately need a result to begin cutting the six point gap between themselves and the play-offs.
Nashville on the other hand are going great guns in the West and will fancy their chances of cementing a spot inside the top seven.
The visitors have a three point cushion over Vancouver Whitecaps in eighth and could be value outsiders ahead of this meeting.
DC have been less than exciting to watch so far this season and their chances of turning their campaign around are decreasing as every match passes.
Process
DC have unsustainably underperformed defensively, and therefore, if they sustain the process, and clean sheet or another relatively comfortable defensive performance could be around the corner.
Nashville have underperformed slightly in both boxes, which is a fairly nice predicament to be in with their league position, knowing that a regression to the mean will likely improve their results, rather than the opposite.
DC have conceded 24 goals from 18.1 expected goals (xG) against in 14 matches, two less than the visitors, at an average of 1.29 xGA per game.
However, Nashville’s defence is very impressive and has laid the foundations for them to have a positive season, limiting the opposition to just 1.1 xGA per game so far in 2022.
Goals?
Unders is a potential angle into this one, however with the desperation of DC’s situation, a more open encounter could ensue than the numbers suggest, therefore I am going to keep two outcomes onside using the Asian Handicap.
DC have scored in six of ten.
DC have conceded in eight of ten.
DC have seen both teams score in four of ten.
DC have seen over 2.5 goals in seven of ten.
Nashville have scored in eight of ten.
Nashville have conceded in eight of ten.
Nashville have seen both teams score in seven of ten.
Nashville have seen over 2.5 goals in six of ten.
I am going to cautiously get the visitors onside in this one at a short price, avoid defeat and we take a win.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
3-1 Nashville, comfortable winner.