Top Soccer Betting Picks of the Week – November 27th Edition

Major League Soccer is winding up its season, with the two conference finals taking place on Thursday night. Atlanta United FC visits the New York Red Bulls with a mammoth 3-0 aggregate lead from the first leg, and the Portland Timbers visit Sporting KC with their aggregate series still in a scoreless draw. In the English Premier League, we enter week 14 of the 39-match campaign, and this week we focus on Everton’s visit to Liverpool. Check out our thoughts on each of those soccer betting matchups while you decide which wagers make the most sense for the week ahead.

Top Soccer Betting Picks of the Week – November 27th Edition

It’s up for grabs. Who moves on to #MLSCup?#ForGloryForCity#RCTID pic.twitter.com/4T4c1NdcYk

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 27, 2018

Thursday, November 29

MLS: Atlanta United FC at New York Red Bulls (7:30pm ET, FS1)

Atlanta United FC had not beaten New York all season long until the first leg of the Eastern Conference final. Josef Martinez and Franco Escobar scored just before and after halftime, respectively, and Hector Villalba sent home a third goal during stoppage time at the end of the second half. This makes a comeback by the Red Bulls a most difficult proposition as the series moves north. The opening of the game was guarded, as both teams were sniffing each other out, but then Atlanta started taking advantage of some open space. New York did have a goal taken off the board after video review found that Alex Muyl had screened Atlanta goalie Brad Guzan while standing offside. This means that the Red Bulls have to win at home 3-0 and send the game to extra time or a shootout, or win by even more. Any less will keep New York from advancing to the MLS Cup. In the second leg, I expect to see Atlanta pull back and play conservative soccer, daring New York to press their men forward and then take advantage with runs down the other half when they snag a takeaway. Guzan is a solid goalie for Atlanta United and gives them a considerable advantage here. Soccer Betting Prediction: Atlanta United FC 1, New York Red Bulls 1

MLS: Portland Timbers at Sporting KC (9:30pm ET, ESPN)

The first leg of the Western Conference final was a scoreless draw as Portland was not able to take the lead even though they were playing at home. Jorge Villafana smacked a shot off the post in the opening minutes of the match, and Portland applied pressure for the majority of the match, but close shots by Johnny Russell and Daniel Salloi were not able to find the back of the net. David Guzman did put in a rebound in the 70th minute from a set-piece but was found to be offside on the play. Portland heads to Kansas City without center back Larrys Mabiala (leg). He is crucial to their defensive scheme. All the pressure is on Kansas City to play stout defense, because any Portland goals would loom large in a tiebreaker, since they count twice on the road. The teams played twice in the regular season this year, with another scoreless draw in Portland and a 3-0 win for Sporting KC at home. If the final follows form, Sporting KC should win, but Portland has surged through the postseason, eliminating FC Dallas at home in the knockout round and storming on since then. Soccer Betting Prediction: Portland Timbers 2, Sporting KC 1 (PENS)

Sunday, December 2

EPL: Everton at Liverpool (11:15am ET)

Liverpool enters this game in second place in the English Premier League table, with 33 points, just two behind Manchester City. Everton has just 22 points and sits in sixth place, five points behind Arsenal and just one ahead of Manchester United. Everton held off Cardiff City, 1-0, at home last week, thanks to a goal from Gylfi Sigurosson in the 59th minute. Everton controlled the game, possessing for 71% of the match and completing 79% of their passes. They led in shots, 16-7, and shots on target, 8-1, so when the pressure paid off, Everton could just sit back and control Cardiff City on defense. Liverpool won their last game, 3-0, at Watford despite finishing the match a man short when Jordan Henderson took a red card in the 82nd minute. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for the Reds in the 67th minute, and then the floodgates opened, as Trent Alexander-Arnold followed in the 76th minute and Roberto Firmino finished things off in the 89th minute. Liverpool possessed for 64% of the match and won in shots (10-5) and shots on target (7-1). Liverpool has played much stouter offense on the season than Everton has and should win this home fixture. Soccer Betting Prediction: Liverpool 3, Everton 1