It took a little while, but the LA Galaxy finally look like the side which won the MLS Cup last season and has done so in three of the last four years. The hottest team in the MLS will be back at it against a New York City FC club just trying to squeeze its way into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
ODDS ANALYSIS
There are still no odds posted for this match as of Tuesday morning, but you can rest assured that the Galaxy are going to be massive favorites. They're favored virtually every time they're at home, and against an NYCFC team which has had to travel clear across the country for this one, you can bet there won't be an exception to the rule.
KEY INJURIES
The Galaxy have gotten all of their ringers back on the field, but there are still some issues. Baggio Husidic, Todd Dunivant and Jose Villarreal have all missed action in recent weeks with minor injuries, and all three are going to be question marks heading into this one as well.
City knows that it won't have Frank Lampard, at least for the full 90 minutes in this one, as the international veteran is still dealing with a quad injury. Javier Calle and Connor Brandt remain out along with long-term injuries George John and Tony Taylor.
Khiry Shelton, Ned Grabavoy, Chris Wingert and Ryan Meara are all still trying to overcome injuries as well, which is why New York City has had to dig deep into its system and into the lower leagues in the U.S. just to find enough bodies to play.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Certainly they have an understanding which proved to be quite special. I'm listening to them and I'm doing it. It's working." – New York City FC manager Jason Kreis on having both Andrea Pirlo and David Villa playing up front alongside one another
RECENT FORM
The Galaxy are just flat out rolling right now. They've scored three straight wins, and they have amassed 15 points out of a possible 18 in their last six games overall.
We're still worried about some defensive breakdowns, knowing that LA has allowed at least one goal in five consecutive matches, but when the offense just continues to score two and three times game in and game out, there's little to worry about. Overs have obviously been easy to come by as well, and they have the oddsmakers considering numbers above the standard 2.5 or 3.
Speaking of high scoring teams, what about NYCFC? The Sky Blues have scored at least twice in three of their last four matches. They've been all over the place in terms of results, beating D.C. United last week 3-1 heading into Wednesday's match with Columbus, but losing to both the New York Red Bulls and Montreal in fixtures which were absolutely winnable.
Still, the overwhelming thought here is that there's no doubt City has a better team now with Pirlo and Lampard when he is healthy when what it had at the start of the season when it was still scrambling for any star power it could find.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Here's all you need to know about the Galaxy: They're 31-6-1 at home in games across all competitions since losing to Real Salt Lake in the MLS opener last year, and they are 60-10-8 in their last 78 games in this building overall.
Teams just don't come to Carson and walk out with wins under any circumstance, and with all of the injuries NYCFC has endured, it's tough to see how that's going to change in this one.
Perhaps playing in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday will slow down the Galaxy just a bit, but they have enough depth to make us believe that the combination of Gerrard and Dos Santos along with Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes and Alan Gordon will be enough to send the hosts to another easy win.
LA Galaxy 2, New York City FC 0
The MLS lines for this contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between the LA Galaxy and New York City FC is scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. ET at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA. The match will be televised live on ESPN.
