Minnesota United vs. FC Cincinnati Betting Preview – MLS, October 3, 2020

Minnesota welcomes Cincinnati to Allianz Field for a cross-conference clash on Saturday, October 3. After 14 games, the Loons have accumulated six points more than Cincinnati, with the Orange & Blue sitting third from bottom in the Eastern Conference.

The Loons currently sit sixth in the Western Conference, although they are only five points behind frontrunners Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers.

Read on to see my Minnesota United vs. FC Cincinnati prediction and betting pick.

The top online sportsbooks haven’t sprung any surprises with their odds for this game. Granted, Minnesota has stuttered slightly of late. But it cannot be denied that the Loons deserved the favorite tag here.

Cincinnati has only managed to win one of their nine games since shocking everyone at the MLS is Back Tournament, and although four draws have come during that period, the odds suggest that it’s going to be difficult for Jaap Stam’s side to get anything from this game.

Believe it or not, Minnesota has failed to win any of their previous four games. Big victories over Real Salt Lake (4-0) and FC Dallas (3-2) at the beginning of September put serious pressure on the division’s top teams, but Adrian Heath’s side has gradually slipped down the standings since then.

Defeats to Sporting Kansas City and Columbus Crew, along with draws against Houston Dynamo and RSL, have seen the Loons claim just two points from a possible 12. Minnesota secured a much-needed clean sheet last time out, but despite dominating proceedings, the team could only manage a goalless draw.

Still, Heath’s men remain in a strong position. They are only five points shy of first place, and their most recent performance certainly points towards an upturn in form.

Unfortunately for Cincinnati, the same cannot be said about their previous performance. The Ohio outfit was completely outclassed in their last game, with New York City claiming a convincing 4-0 victory on Sunday.

The Orange & Blue has continuously picked up shock results this year. Indeed, a victory over New York Red Bulls and draws with Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union have all come this month. But the team has struggled to establish any sort of rhythm.

As soon as things start looking up for Stam’s men, a heavy defeat seems to knock their confidence. Following their thrashing at the hands of NYC last weekend, Cincinnati is likely to struggle on Saturday.

Earlier in the campaign, Cincinnati gained a reputation for being extremely tough to break down. But fast-forward to today, and the team’s resilience seems to have disappeared.

Meanwhile, the Loons have continued to establish themselves as one of the most complete teams in MLS. Heath’s side hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders lately, but I’m confident that Minnesota will return to winning ways against a lackluster Cincinnati outfit.