New England Revolution vs Nashville SC Predictions
The new season got off to a bright start for the New England Revolution this year as they beat Charlotte FC and Houston Dynamo FC and kept clean sheets in both games. However, in their last game, they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against defending champions Los Angeles FC.
Three games into the new season, Nashville SC are unbeaten and are yet to concede a goal. They shocked New York City FC on opening day before playing a goalless draw with New York Red Bulls. Last week, they handed CF Montreal a third loss on the bounce after a 2-0 win.
The odds favor Nashville SC because of obvious reasons. They were given a tough start this season in the schedule but have come out of it with almost maximum points. However, against a wounded New England Revolution, Nashville SC may have to settle for a point.
Previous Meetings
There is not a lot of history between these two sides as they have only met four times in the MLS. Astonishingly, three out of those matches ended in draws, and Nashville SC won on one single occasion in 2021.
When the two sides met at the Gillette Stadium last year, they had to share the spoils and settle for a point after a goalless draw. In the reverse fixture, at the Nissan Stadium, Nashville SC nabbed their only win over New England Revolution with Charles Sapong and Alex Muyl getting on the scoresheet.
In the season before that, yet another goalless draw was played out at the Gillette Stadium between these two sides before two goals in the final quarter tied the game at 1-1 till the full-time whistle at the Nissan Stadium.
New England Revolution Must Put Defeat Behind Them
The 4-0 thumping against Los Angeles FC this past weekend landed a big blow to the momentum New England Revolution were gathering in a bid to move further up the table and bounce back from a disappointing season last year.
However, their chances of finishing the season without encountering a single defeat were always close to zero. To stick to their aim of finishing at the summit of the Eastern Division or within striking distance of it, they will have to shift their focus onto the next opponents.
It is vital that they pick up the positives from their last match and try to avoid repeating the same mistakes against Nashville SC. However, ending the three-match unbeaten run of Nashville SC will be a tricky task for the hosts.
Carles Gil Joins the Lengthy Injury List
Last week, New England Revolution had four players on the injury list. This week, they have five players on it after Carles Gil picked up a muscle injury against Los Angeles FC last weekend.
The former Aston Villa midfielder was brought on as a substitute three minutes past the hour mark and had to be withdrawn in the 90th minute as he was unable to continue. Although the injury does not look severe, Gil will not be fit enough to face Nashville SC.
The other players on the injury list are defensive midfielder Thomas McNamara, winger Nacho Gil, keeper Jacob Jackson, and defender Andrew Farrell. The majority of these players are expected to return by the end of March.
The Defense Will Be Eager to Bounce Back
In order to introduce consistency in the team, manager Bruce Arena has deployed the same back-four in all games so far. He has also opted for the same formation, only changing players due to injuries, form, and fatigue.
The backline of DeJuan Jones, David Romney, Henry Kessler, and Brandon Bye has been quite decent. They helped their side keep two clean sheets but were overpowered in the last game. Despite that, Romney completed the most passes in the match against Los Angeles FC.
Jones also put in a decent performance down the left flank as he won 100 percent of his tackles and made nine recoveries. Another good performance at the back could hand New England Revolution their third clean sheet in four games this season.
Playoffs Still a Priority for Nashville SC
Playing in just their fourth MLS season this year, Nashville SC will be aiming for a playoff spot this season, as they have in all their seasons before. Last year, they finished fifth in the Western Conference but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Nashville SC clinched playoff spots and reached the quarterfinals of the competition and were eliminated at that stage. This year, after a strong start against strong teams, Nashville SC have stated their intent.
The club is all set to nab another playoff spot this season and try their best to advance further in the playoffs. As the usual giants falter, Nashville SC could capitalize and even go all the way to claim their first-ever MLS crown at the end of the season.
Nashville SC Await Their First Away Win of the Season
Last season, Nashville SC’s performances on the road were slightly better compared to the ones in their own backyard. The club picked up 24 points in 17 games on home soil but picked up 26 points in 17 away games last year.
In addition to that, Nashville SC are coming into this game after losing only two out of their last ten away games in the MLS. Their last game away from home was against the New York Red Bulls, and it ended in a goalless draw.
Hence, Nashville SC will be looking for their first goals and first win on the road this season when they take on the New England Revolution. The head-to-head record will act as an encouragement as the visitors look to replicate the outcome of 2021.
Talismanic Striker Yet to Get off the Mark
Nashville SC scored 52 goals last season. 23 out of those were scored by Hany Mukhtar. The German striker finished the season with 23 goals and seven assists, leading both charts for the club.
However, this season, Mukhtar is yet to score a goal. In the first two matches, the 27-year-old started from the bench. He came on as a substitute and assisted Nashville SC’s second goal against New York City FC.
In the last match against CF Montreal, he was in the starting lineup and assisted the opening goal of the match. Mukhtar has two assists in three games but he will be hungry for his first goal of the campaign against the New England Revolution.
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