Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls – MLS, November 21, 2020

After sneaking into the top six on Decision Day, the Red Bulls face Columbus on Saturday, November 21, with both sides bidding to reach the semi-finals of the 2020 MLS Cup playoffs.

The Crew beat the Red Bulls 2-0 at the MLS is Back Tournament, although the teams haven’t met since July. Caleb Porter’s men ended up finishing nine points ahead of the New Yorkers in the East.

I look at the bookmakers’ odds before sharing my Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls prediction and betting pick.

There is no denying that Columbus (2.00) has outshone the Red Bulls (3.25) throughout the campaign, so it is difficult to argue with the odds that 10bet has provided for this matchup.

Let’s take a closer look at the teams.

Columbus made a seriously strong start to the season, losing just one of their eight games after the MLS is Back Tournament. However, the Crew only managed to pick up one win in their next seven outings.

The Black & Gold ended the regular season on a positive note, with victories over Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United coming in their last three matches. But it’s fair to say that Porter’s men have been wildly unpredictable over the past couple of months.

Still, the Crew’s backline has remained sturdy throughout 2020. Columbus ended up with the second-best defensive record in the Eastern Conference, making them worthy third-place finishers.

Porter’s men can take huge confidence from the fact that they beat the newly-crowned Supporters’ Shield champions just a fortnight ago. Having edged Philly 2-1, the Crew is clearly ready to challenge the best teams in the country.

It is no secret that October was a good month for the Red Bulls. Gerhard Stuber’s men strung together a five-game unbeaten streak – two wins and three draws – to put themselves in contention for a top-six finish.

A 5-2 thrashing at the hands of rivals New York City at the beginning of November cast doubt over the team’s ambitions, but Metro secured an impressive victory over Toronto on Decision Day to snatch an automatic playoff spot at the eleventh hour.

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that Brian White scored again last time out. The forward has bagged four goals and one assist in his previous five appearances, meaning he is heading into the postseason in fine form.

The New Yorkers have upped their attacking game in recent weeks, but they must tighten things up at the back in order to progress. Indeed, the Red Bulls finished with the poorest defensive record in the top eight over in the East.

I’m confident that the Crew’s defense will get the team over the line when the Red Bulls visit Ohio. Columbus cruised past the New York club earlier in the campaign, and although a lot has changed since then, I’m expecting a similar outcome this time around.

The Red Bulls stumbled across the regular-season finish line, while the Crew ended up nine points ahead in third place. With that in mind, the home win seems like really good value here.