LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders – MLS, November 4, 2020

Following a run of eight defeats in nine games, Dominic Kinnear saw the Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 2-1 in his first game in charge as interim head coach. The Los Angeles club still stands an outside chance of reaching the playoffs, although Seattle is expected to halt their revival.

The Sounders visit California on Wednesday, November 4, sitting a whopping 14 points ahead of the Galaxy in the Western Conference standings. However, Brian Schmetzer’s side suffered an unexpected 3-1 loss to Colorado Rapids last time out.

You can find my prediction for LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders along with a betting pick below.

I can’t say I’m surprised by these odds. Seattle (2.05) has been far better than LA Galaxy (3.15) throughout 2020, and that is reflected in the odds for this matchup.

The Sounders beat the Galaxy 3-1 at the end of September, so the odds for the away win are actually pretty attractive here.

How often do we see a club part ways with their manager and enjoy an upturn in form soon after?

Guillermo Barros Schelotto was finally relieved of his duties following a dismal run of results, with Dominic Kinnear being promoted to interim head coach. The Galaxy was thrashed 5-2 by Portland Timbers last week, but the team secured a hard-fought victory over Real Salt Lake on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly, Cristian Pavon was the star of the show last time out. The Argentine scored his third goal in two games and his eighth of the season to hand the Los Angeles club all three points.

The Galaxy moved off the bottom of the table on Sunday and still has two regular-season games to secure a top-eight finish. Of course, it is not going to be easy. But the team appears to have found a new lease of life under Kinnear.

Seattle clinched a playoff spot a while ago now, but the Washington outfit has been slacking lately. Brian Schmetzer’s men have only managed to win one of their previous five outings, with 3-1 defeats to LAFC and Colorado coming during that period.

Following draws with San Jose Earthquakes and Portland, along with a victory over Vancouver Whitecaps, the Sounders were expected to beat the Rapids with ease last time out. However, a disappointing display saw them suffer a defeat.

Seattle has slipped to third in the table, with the Timbers and Sporting Kansas City overtaking them in the Supporters’ Shield race. The team has generally performed very well this year, but their recent dip in form doesn’t bode well with the playoffs on the horizon.

The Galaxy has clearly been given a big lift following Barros Schelotto’s departure. The club had been crying out for a change, and the players seem to have benefitted from Kinnear’s arrival.

On the flip side, October was a bad month for Seattle. The Sounders have only won one of their last five games, so I can see them struggling to compete against a revitalized Galaxy team.

Claiming all three points is a big ask for Kinnear’s men, although I’m confident they can snatch a draw on Wednesday.