MLS Best Bets, Predictions & Expert Picks Saturday, July 25, 2026

Analysis

The New England Revolution come into this game with an 8, 5, 2 record and they are facing an Atlanta United FC squad that is struggling to find any rhythm. The most glaring mismatch here is the Atlanta offense against the New England defense. Atlanta ranks dead last in the league for offensive production, scoring just one goal per game. They are going up against a New England defensive unit that ranks 5th in the league and only allows 1.2 goals per match. It is hard to see where the goals come from for the visitors in this one. New England is playing on a short turnaround, but their home form is too good to ignore. They cover the spread in 88 percent of their home matches. Even though Atlanta has two extra days of rest, their defense is ranked 17th and allows 1.6 goals per game. New England already took care of business against them earlier this season with a win and a one goal margin of victory. The model has the Revolution winning this 66.8 percent of the time, which gives us a massive 15.6 percent edge on the moneyline. Expect the Revolution to control the pace and capitalize on an Atlanta defense that cannot keep up with New England's 1.5 goals per game scoring average. This is a clear play on the better team at a very reasonable price.

Public Fade

The public might see the rest advantage for Atlanta and get nervous about New England on a back to back. But rest does not fix the fact that Atlanta is the worst offensive team in the league. Trust the talent gap here.

Analysis

The Hell is Real derby is always a spectacle, but the numbers suggest this one might be more lopsided than the odds imply. FC Cincinnati is sitting at 6, 5, 5 and they bring the second best offense in the league into Columbus. They are scoring 2.5 goals per game, which is an incredible clip. The problem for Cincinnati is their defense, which ranks 28th and also gives up 2.5 goals per game. That is a recipe for a high scoring affair, which is why the model loves the over 3.5 goals here with a 14.3 percent edge. Columbus Crew has struggled to find consistency with a 4, 8, 4 record. Their defense ranks 15th and will have its hands full with a Cincinnati attack that is firing on all cylinders. While Columbus is the favorite at home, they only cover the spread in 33 percent of their home games. Cincinnati covers half of their road trips and their ability to outscore opponents makes them a dangerous underdog. The model spread is much closer than the book line, sitting at just negative 0.1 for Columbus. Taking Cincinnati to get at least a draw or a win at plus 0.5 is the smart move. This game should be chaotic and full of scoring chances for both sides, but Cincinnati has the offensive firepower to keep pace or win outright.

Public Fade

Bettors love to back the home team in a rivalry game like this. However, they are ignoring that Cincinnati has one of the most explosive offenses in the league while Columbus has been mediocre at home all year.

Analysis

Both Red Bull New York and Charlotte FC come into this match with identical 6, 6, 4 records, but their defensive profiles suggest we are in for a high scoring game. Red Bull New York has been a mess at the back, ranking 27th in defensive solidity and allowing 2.2 goals per game. While they are decent at home, their inability to stop anyone from scoring is the main story here. Charlotte FC is middle of the road in both offense and defense, but they have already shown they can exploit this New York back line. In their previous meeting this season, Charlotte won by three goals. The model puts the total for this game at 3.9 goals, which is nearly half a goal higher than the posted line of 3.5. New York scores 1.6 goals per game and Charlotte matches that exactly. When you combine two teams that score consistently with a New York defense that is one of the worst in the league, you get a lot of goals. New York covers at home 60 percent of the time, but the real value is in the total. The 11.4 percent edge on the over is one of the strongest on the entire Saturday slate. Don't expect a defensive masterclass from either side in this one. It should be open and fast from the opening whistle.

Public Fade

The public often defaults to the under when two mid table teams meet, thinking it will be a cagey battle. The data says otherwise, specifically pointing to a Red Bull defense that cannot keep the ball out of the net.