Despite neither side having found their best form in the MSL Eastern Conference so far this season, a clash between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls has quickly become one of the most anticipated fixtures around. With just two points separating the duo in the standings, it is all to play for at the Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, with head coaches Patrick Vieira and Jesse Marsch going head-to-head once more.
The Red Bulls are coming into the game in fantastic form, with four straight MLS victories, while New York City are struggling for consistency in recent weeks. There are certainly some attractive looking odds for those looking to place a bet on the match, with little separating the rival duo. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the two teams, as well as our top betting tip for the clash.
New York City FC
Having succumbed to a damaging 4-0 defeat at the hands of Eastern Conference leaders Toronto last time around, New York City are under pressure to deliver in front of their own fans on Sunday. Legendary players David Villa and Andrea Pirlo are both struggling for form, with the Italian especially having been singled out for criticism over his recent performances. Vieira faces a major decision surrounding his inclusion for the upcoming match. English striker Jack Harrison is another man under pressure, having scored just eight goals all season.
New York Red Bulls
As for the Red Bulls, despite still sitting behind their city rivals in the standings, their form of late has been considerable better. A 4-0 victory over the Montreal Impact demonstrates the confidence running through their squad at present, with Bradley Wright-Phillips and Co heading to the Yankees Stadium hunting another three points. Austrian attacker Daniel Royer has been in fantastic form for the Red Bulls since his arrival from Denmark last year, and along with Sean Davis, will be a constant threat for a New York City defence that has struggled over recent weeks.
Top Betting Tip
Despite the two teams going into this encounter with differing sets of recent results, motivation and tension will be high in New York on Sunday evening. New York City FC are a team that regularly rise to the big occasion, however coach Vieira will have to work hard to help his players recover from a heavy defeat last time around. Taking all of this into account, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on New York City FC to win or draw, which can be found at best odds of 2/7 at Ladbrokes.