New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC Odds: New York Red Bulls Putting Resilience on Display

• New York Red Bulls beat New England Revolution on penalties in the first group stage encounter before beating Atletico de San Luis 2-1 in the second 
• New York City FC got off to a shaky start with a 1-0 defeat against Atlas FC. They bounced back in the second match with a 5-0 thumping of Toronto FC
• The two neighbors have already locked horns once in the MLS this season, and it was New York Red Bull who walked away with the bragging rights that evening.

New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC Odds

Odds taken from bet365

New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC Pick

• Pick: New York City FC to win 

New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC Predictions

The first half of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season has been subpar for New York Red Bulls. The club entered the break with three losses in five games and are placed 11th in the Eastern Conference. The side experienced back-to-back losses for the first time this season in the last two MLS fixtures before the break but have bounced back well in the Leagues Cup. They finished at the top of their group and are looking to extend their winning streak. 

While the New York Red Bulls were struggling in the domestic league, neighbors New York City FC were unable to capitalize on their misery. After finishing third in the league last season, the club has failed to maintain consistency and are ranked 13th in the Eastern Conference, level on points with their arch-rivals. However, morale will be high after last week’s thumping win over Toronto FC that secured knockout qualification for New York City FC.

Like any other edition of the Hudson River Derby, this match will also be difficult to predict. New York City FC have already lost at this venue once this season and would not want a repeat of that in a different competition. Riding on the back of a big win, New York City FC could end their neighbor’s voyage for a trophy.

Previous Meetings

Across all competitions, these two sides have met each other 25 times. New York Red Bulls have the better head-to-head record with 14 wins under their belt. New York City FC have only won eight times, and only three games have ended in a draw.

Earlier this year, in the MLS, the Red Bull Arena hosted an intense Hudson River Derby. The encounter was deadlocked till the 76th minute when Omir Fernandez scored the only goal of the match, handing the hosts a crucial win over their rivals.

However, it has not been a long time since New York City FC were victorious on enemy territory. In the previous MLS season, former New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute to give the visitors a big win.

That win ended New York City FC’s eight-game winless streak in the New York Red Bulls’ backyard. In the reverse fixture that same season, the hosts nabbed a comfortable 2-0 win to complete their first league double over their neighbors in five years.

New York Red Bulls Putting Resilience on Display  

The search for a first trophy is still ongoing for New York Red Bulls as the club aims to end the wait by winning the 2023 Leagues Cup. While a few teams may not give it their all in this tournament, the New York Red Bulls have shown real character and determination to win games.

New York Red Bulls won both their group-stage encounters, but both were extremely tough games for the side. In the penalty shootout against New England Revolution, the hosts got off to a bad start, with Elias Manoel failing to score from the spot.

However, the other players kept their calm, and eventually, New York Red Bulls walked away with a 4-2 win. Against Atletico de San Luis, another resilient display saw the hosts seal the win in the 92nd minute courtesy of Dante Vanzeir, who also scored the opener.

Full-back Continues to Impress in Attack  

While the attackers and midfielders are taking a little time to settle in, quite a lot of attacks have come down the left flank for New York Red Bulls. John Tolkin has been responsible for almost all these attacks.

The left-back has nabbed four assists in 16 appearances in the MLS. Additionally, the 21-year-old assisted both goals in the last match and was stellar in the first one against New England Revolution as well.

New Signing Finally Hitting His Stride  

To bolster their attack, New York Red Bull roped in Dante Vanzeir from Union St. Gilloise in February this year. However, since his arrival, the striker has failed to score regularly. So far, he has made 15 appearances in the MLS and scored just twice.

In the Leagues Cup, the 25-year-old has gotten off to a good start. He fired a blank against New England Revolution but netted the two crucial goals against Atletico de San Luis that helped New York Red Bulls finish at the top of their group.

New York City FC Need to Take Small Steps for Glory

The New York City FC fans have been in utter disbelief this season after seeing their team’s performance. The same side that finished third last year is now dangling near the bottom of the table.

New York City FC have endured a terrible run of form over the past few months. The win last week was only their second win in 18 games across all competitions. Building on last week’s win is currently their only option to get the season back on track.

The competition will intensify as they progress further. However, the focus will be on the game at hand, which could probably turn out to be the most fierce and intense encounter of the competition.

Versatile Midfielder Prolific in Attack  

PSV Eindhoven midfielder Richard Ledezma was brought in as a temporary reinforcement in the New York City FC squad. The loan deal was completed in March this year, after which Ledezma has gone on to make 18 appearances in the league.

The incredible versatility of the midfielder has allowed New York City FC to deploy him as a striker. However, the 22-year-old is the club’s leading assist provider, with four under his belt in the MLS.

Freese Could Retain His Place in Goal

Luis Barraza has been New York City FC’s first-choice keeper this season. However, the shot-stopper has kept just four clean sheets in 22 appearances. He featured in the club’s opening Leagues Cup fixture and failed to keep the solitary Atlas goal out.

Against Toronto FC, Matt Freese was between the sticks. The 24-year-old kept a clean sheet with a passing accuracy of 92 percent, made four recoveries, and produced a decent save from a shot that was taken from inside the box. Freese is expected to start in the derby.

How to Watch New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC

• Teams: New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC
• Location: Red Bull Arena
• Time: Thursday, August 3 at 8 pm ET
• How to watch: Apple TV, Televisa, Univision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS