DC United are looking to end their run of three consecutive defeats when they host Philadelphia Union on Sunday, in the Eastern Conference of the MLS.
The visitors have 32 points to their name after playing 21 matches, while DC United sit in seventh but only above Atlanta United on goal difference.
Match preview
© Reuters
Hernan Losada's side have not lost four games back-to-back this campaign, and they will need to avoid defeat on Sunday to ensure that does not change.
DC United had the opportunity to extend the gap between themselves and the playoffs chasing pack last time out, but they ended up allowing Atlanta to close in on seventh spot after victory at the Audi Field.
Yordy Reyna had equalised for DC United but eight minutes from time, Marcelino Moreno scored the winning goal to extend Atlanta's winning run to four games.
First-choice goalkeeper Bill Hamid has been sidelined due to injury in recent games, and Jon Kempin has filled in between the posts, but he has conceded a number of goals in recent games.
DC United let in eight goals across two games against New England Revolution and Nashville SC, meaning that they have now conceded the most goals out of the top 11 teams in the Eastern Conference.
© Reuters
Philadelphia bounced back from disappointment in their first-leg CONCACAF Champions League semi-final with victory against New York City, followed by a 1-1 draw with Montreal last time out.
Union had to wait until the 87th-minute for their equaliser, which came from substitute Quinn Sullivan, just six minutes after he entered the pitch at Subaru Park.
Including this game against DC United, Jim Curtin's side have two games before their second-leg Champions League tie against Mexican outfit Club America, and they will want to go into that game with a string of positive results under their belt.
Philadelphia have already travelled to Washington this season, and came away with three points courtesy of a winning strike from Kacper Przybylko, which was only one of two shots the visitors managed on target that day.
DC United will be determined to avoid defeat this time around, after Philadelphia completed their second victory over Losada's side at the end of July, that game ended 2-1 to Union thanks to goals from Sergio Santos and Przybylko.
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- L
- D
- D
- W
- L
- W
- D
- D
- W
- L
- L
- W
- D
Team News
© Reuters
Goalkeeper Hamid will continue to be absent for DC United, along with centre-back Donovan Pines, forward Nigel Robertha and winger Paul Arriola, who are all expected to recover from their injuries next month.
Brendan Hines-Ike, who suffered a broken hip at the beginning of July, and Adrien Perez, who is recovering from a broken ankle sustained in early August, will have to wait a little longer to return for Losada's side.
Kempin, Steven Birnbaum, Joseph Mora and Edison Flores were the only players to retain their place in the starting 11 for the last game from the side which lost to New England, but Losada could revert back to a similar lineup to the side which beat Montreal.
Philadelphia centre-back pairing of Jack Elliott and Jakob Glesnes has started every MLS game this season and that will continue on Sunday, with Jose Andres Martinez sitting in front of them in a defensive midfield role.
Przybylko was replaced by Cory Burke for the last game, but Przybylko is expected to return to the starting lineup, which could look similar to the side which beat New York City.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Kempin; Alfaro, Brillant, Najar; Mora, Nyeman, Moreno, Gressel; Paredes, Kamara, Flores
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Blake; Wagner, Elliott, Glesnes, Powell; Flach, Martinez, Bedoya; Gazdag; Santos, Przybylko
We say: DC United 1-2 Philadelphia Union
DC United have scored at least one goal in their last five MLS games and that is expected to continue on Sunday having registered 20 shots on target in their last three outings.
However, Philadelphia know how to get the better of DC United, having done so twice already this season, and they go into this fixture in better form than their hosts, which should help them come away with three points.
Top tip
Sammy Wynne
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a DC United win with a probability of 44.85%. A win for Philadelphia Union had a probability of 29.53% and a draw had a probability of 25.6%.
The most likely scoreline for a DC United win was 1-0 with a probability of 10.45%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.11%) and 2-0 (7.82%). The likeliest Philadelphia Union win was 0-1 (8.14%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.17%). The actual scoreline of 3-1 was predicted with a 4.5% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that DC United would win this match.
