New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC – MLS, November 8, 2020

If the Red Bulls are to secure a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference, they must beat Toronto FC on Sunday and hope that New England Revolution loses to Philadelphia Union.

But with the Canadians sitting a colossal 15 points ahead of the New Yorkers in the standings, Gerhard Struber’s side may have to qualify for the playoffs.

This is set to be an intriguing encounter. After assessing the bookies’ odds, I share my New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC prediction and pick.

I’m not going to lie to you, I’m pretty shocked to see the Red Bulls (2.05) as the favorite to win this clash. Yes, the New York club has more to play for on Sunday, but Toronto (3.30) is definitely the stronger team in this matchup.

The Red Bulls have enjoyed a stark upturn in form in recent weeks. New head coach Gerhard Struber oversaw a five-game unbeaten run in October, including victories over Atlanta United and New England, along with a draw against Sunday’s opponent Toronto.

However, Metro was brought back down to earth in spectacular fashion last weekend.

Struber’s men would have been quietly confident of upsetting their rivals at Yankee Stadium. But the Red Bulls ended up suffering a humiliating 5-2 defeat at the hands of New York City.

On a brighter note, Brian White scored his third goal in four games last time out. The forward also assisted Cristian Casseres to give the Red Bulls a 2-1 lead. But a second-half collapse saw Metro throw away their advantage.

With the playoffs on the horizon, it felt like the Red Bulls had been gathering some much-needed momentum. But last weekend’s thrashing to NYC proves that Struber’s side is nowhere near the finished article.

Back on track!@ricohcanada | #TORvMIA | #TFCLive pic.twitter.com/6pAZFAABlO

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) November 2, 2020

Following an outstanding nine-game unbeaten streak, Toronto was hammered 5-0 by Philadelphia two weekends ago. To make matters worse, the Reds then suffered back-to-back defeats for the just the second time this year, losing 1-0 to New York City.

But like all good teams do, Toronto bounced back with a victory last weekend. Goals from Ayo Akinola and Alejandro Pozuelo handed the Ontario outfit a hard-fought 2-1 win over Inter Miami.

Akinola now has four goals in his last eight appearances, while Pozuelo has notched up a hugely impressive nine goals and nine assists this season. The Reds also boast one of the tightest defensive records in MLS, making them one of the best all-round teams in the country.

After going through a mini rough patch, Greg Vanney’s men are back on track. Needless to say, last year’s MLS Cup finalists will be desperate to go one better this time around.

At the end of the day, Toronto has performed far better than the Red Bulls throughout the campaign. The New York club may have more to play for on Sunday, but I’m confident that the Reds will win this one.

It is no coincidence that Toronto is 15 points clear of the Red Bulls in the standings. Vanney’s side has been one of the most consistent teams in 2020, while Metro has endured an indifferent season.