Real Salt Lake vs Chicago Fire Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

West entertains East as Real Salt Lake play host to Chicago Fire in the MLS on Sunday. Both clubs need to return to winning ways this weekend, but there aren’t many, if any, sides in the MLS who currently need a victory than Chicago Fire. Despite a torrid run of results and the inevitable slip down the table, Chicago Fire are still in the play-off race, but need a strong finish to the campaign. Real Salt Lake currently occupy one of the coveted play-off places and could move up one place with victory over Chicago on Sunday.

The hosts have picked up two wins, two draws, and suffered two defeats in their last six matches, leaving Real Salt Lake hanging onto six place in the Western Conference by a mere two points. Wins for Minnesota United and Vancouver Whitecaps this weekend could see Real Salt Lake drop out of the top six unless they take maximum points at home to struggling Chicago Fire.

Goals have been a slight issue for Real Salt Lake this season and they could improve defensively as they have conceded more than any other team in the top six of the Western Conference. Due to the lack of an out and out goalscorer Plata top scores for Sunday’s hosts with six goals and is closely followed by Baird, Rusnák, and Silva all of whom have scored five league goals each.

Real started the season well but results in March, April, and May were rather hit and since then they just haven’t been able to rediscover their consistency. Something is going to have to change between now and the end of the season as one of the sides below them will put a good run of results together and challenge for a place in the play-offs.

At this moment in time Chicago Fire fans aren’t even thinking about the play-offs, they just want their sides to end their five game losing streak in the league and starting playing how they were in June when they went unbeaten in seven league and cup games.

Defending has been the major issue for Chicago Fire this season with forty-six goals conceded in twenty-three MLS games, with just one team in the Eastern Conference with a worse defensive record. At the other end of the pitch Nikolić and Katai have struck up an exciting partnership which has so far produced nineteen goals.

The gap between Chicago Fire and the play-off places is now up to five points, and Sunday’s visitors can’t really afford for the gap to increase by much more if they truly have ambitions of a top six finish. This Chicago side is a shadow of the one that finished third in the Eastern Conference last year, but there is still time for Sunday’s guests to give their fans something to cheer for.

We’re confident that both teams will score on Sunday as both sides have been in better form going forward than they have in defence of late. Four of both teams last six matches have produced over 2.5 goals, while four of their last five matches against one another have also witnessed at least three goals scored. In terms of a final score, we’ve gone with a narrow 2-1 win for the hosts and for Chicago’s wretched run to continue.