Soccer
  • Home
  • Football
  • Two Ex Manchester United Colleagues Meet As MLS Teams Gear Up For The First Double Gameweek Of

Two ex-Manchester United colleagues meet as MLS teams gear up for the first double gameweek of 2021

The teams from MLS are in the midst of their first double gameweek of the season, with midweek matches on Wednesday and Thursday leading into the weekend match-ups.

Most teams have completed four or five games to this point, with Seattle Sounders, San Jose Earthquakes, and Los Angeles Galaxy at the top of the Western Conference. Meanwhile, CF Montreal, New England Revolution, and NYCFC occupy the top slots in the Eastern Conference.

Weekend match-ups

The premier match of the weekend is the second meeting already this season between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Football Club. The Sounders went to LAFC with both teams missing superstars on April 24 and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Seattle have won all three games since then and sit atop the West with 13 points from five games. With Nicolas Lodeiro back, they are clicking on all cylinders and have scored 11 goals to just two allowed. Cristian Roldan scored in the 1-0 win over San Jose on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, LAFC lost El Trafico to the LA Galaxy last weekend and sat in a surprising 11th place with just one win from the first four games. LAFC have scored five goals with four allowed while missing playmaker Carlos Vela. Diego Rossi, who missed the first Sounders game, is back and available for the game in Seattle on Sunday night on national television.

According to Paddy Power, the host Sounders are 7/5 to extend their lead in the standings. LAFC are 2/1 to pull the upset while a draw is 12/5.

Changing of the guard in the East?

The last week has been one the Columbus Crew, er, Columbus SC will want to forget. The defending MLS champions unveiled a new team name, logo, and crest that were widely panned, with supporters groups suggesting a boycott in protest. They responded by losing 2-0 to winless Toronto FC and falling into eighth place.
Last year's winners have just one win from their first five games with only three goals scored. They now head on the road to joint leaders New England Revolution for a nationally televised Sunday game.
The Revolution have two wins under their belts this season and eight total points from five games. They drew a wild game Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Teal Bunbury gave New England a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute, but the Revs conceded three minutes later and shared the points.

According to Paddy Power, the hosts are 10/11 to win on Sunday. Columbus are 14/5 with a draw at 5/2. Columbus eliminated New England from the 2020 MLS Cup in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Former Manchester United team-mates on opposite touchlines

Jaap Stam and Phil Neville won the famous treble together for Manchester United in 1999, and on Sunday they get a reunion of sorts in Cincinnati. Sunday's game will be televised nationally on FOX and is the first game to ever be played at brand new TQL Stadium in downtown Cincinnati.

Stam's FC Cincinnati side are in last place in the East with one point from three games as they prepare to host 10th place Inter Miami CF, managed by Neville.
Miami have one win and two draws while being outscored 7-5 on the season. Cincinnati have conceded 10 while scoring just twice so far on the season.

Paddy Power has Stam's club as 14/5 shots in their home opener. Inter Miami are 10/11, and a draw is 5/2.

(All odds correct at time of writing, subject to change).

READ MORE: May 13 Social Zone: World's highest-paid athletes revealed and a suspicious signature too

More Articles