The Seattle Sounders (7-2-3, 23 Points) are topping the MLS through a dozen matches, but they could be in for a tough task defending their home turf against the New York Red Bulls (4-5-2, 17 Points) in the best match of the weekend on Sunday.
ODDS ANALYSIS
As of Thursday morning, there are still no MLS odds posted for this match, but it is very clear by looking at Seattle's history that it will be a heavy favorite. The Red Bulls have been excellent away from home this year, but the Sounders have the best home field advantage in the MLS, and they take full advantage of it more often than not.
KEY INJURIES
The Sounders should get MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall back in the lineup on Sunday after he sat out against Colorado midweek in what was classified as just a day off for him. Gonzalo Pineda remains out with an ankle injury, while Dylan Remick could be scratched for a second straight duel as well.
The Red Bulls are relatively healthy at the moment. They still don't have Sal Zizzo in the midfield, and Ronald Zubar is still recovering from a quad injury, but aside from that, the team should be close to full strength for the trip to the Pacific Northwest.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's not just veterans that are coming in. It's young guys that are coming in and doing well right away… This is another game where we proved we have that depth. In this industry, you don't get too many opportunities, so you have to prove yourself when you do get your chance." – Sounders goalie Stefan Frei on the depth which Seattle brings to the table this season in the MLS
RECENT FORM
The Sounders just don't lose at home. They haven't been beaten at CenturyLink Field since March, and they haven't conceded a goal in this stadium in four straight matches as well. Seattle is also 2-1-0 in its last three to get to the top of the table in the Western Conference.
The Red Bulls have been blanked in their last two fixtures, a shocking change for one of the top teams in the MLS offensively. This rot is their worst stretch of the year for sure, and this fixture alongside a short week of preparation in Houston next Friday won't be easy either.
TALKING TOTALS
Defense is the key for Seattle. Not only has the team not conceded a goal at home in over two months, but it hasn't picked one up out of the back of its own net in any MLS match since losing 3-2 in Columbus on May 9. The Sounders are over 212 minutes without a goal being conceded, and not shockingly, their last three matches have all been easy unders.
The Red Bulls have watched consecutive games stay under the total after they played back-to-back overs to kick off the month of May.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
A tough one this is for sure. The Sounders have the best defense in the league, and they're playing against a team that didn't get blanked in a game until a week and a half ago.
Sure, New York is in bad form at the moment, but the time is going to come when the likes of Bradley Wright-Phillips and Lloyd Sam once again come alive.
The Sounders won't go quietly either, knowing that they have the best front line duo in the league in Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, but they'll just manage a point from this fixture after a gamely performance by the visiting Red Bulls.
Seattle 1, New York 1
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