Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire – MLS, August 1, 2021

We have two Major League Soccer games to get our teeth into this Sunday, August 1, with Philadelphia (6-6-4) welcoming Chicago (3-3-9) to PPL Park for the early kick-off.

Having lost just two of their previous 13 MLS encounters, the Union find themselves fourth in the Eastern Conference. They also boast one of the meanest defensive records in the division.

At the opposite end of the standings, the Fire sits second from the bottom. Raphael Wicky’s men have only managed to win three of their 15 matches this year and head into Sunday’s clash on a three-game winless run.

Before we go any further, here are the odds for Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire.

It is hardly surprising that all the betting sites expect Philly to claim an easy victory this weekend. I mean, the U currently holds a 12-point lead over Chicago and has already beaten the Illinois outfit 2-0 this season.

When you look at the bigger picture, Jim Curtin’s men have only lost one of their last eight MLS meetings with the Fire – picking up six wins and one draw along the way.

I’m going to jump straight into my Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire betting pick and back the home side to claim all three points on Sunday. Keep reading to find out the reasons behind my pick.

I also share my score prediction for Philadelphia vs. Chicago at the end of this piece, so make sure you stay tuned for that, too.

Across the past ten games, only three teams in the East have picked up more points than Philadelphia. The 2020 Supporters’ Shield winners have lost just twice in that period, picking up four wins and four draws in the process.

Granted, they have struggled for goals this season – scoring 20 in 16 MLS outings. But at the other end of the field, they have barely put a foot wrong.

Having conceded 16 goals all year, the Union has the fourth-best defensive record in the East. Considering that Wicky’s men are the fourth-lowest scorers in the conference, Philly shouldn’t struggle to keep a clean sheet this weekend.

In total, seven players have featured in every MLS game for the U this year. With consistent performers like Kacper Przybylko and Jakob Glesnes continuing to impress, the reigning Shield champs will be confident of defending the crown in 2021.

Chicago, on the other hand, has only managed to claim 12 points from a possible 45 this year. Unfortunately, the club is suffering from a bad case of déjà vu.

Wicky’s men won just five of their 23 matches last season, finishing fourth from the bottom as a result. This time around, they could find themselves even further down the final standings.

The Fire suffered seven defeats across their opening nine games in 2021 before temporarily stopping the rot with a three-match unbeaten streak. However, they have since recorded two losses and one draw – including a damaging 5-1 thrashing to Nashville.

Believe it or not, Chicago has only scored three more goals than Philly. But with a whopping 27 in the goals against column, they have conceded almost twice as many.

Although I’m confident that Philadelphia will cruise past Chicago without any problems, I wouldn’t be surprised if the home side secures a relatively low-scoring victory on Sunday.

Curtin’s men haven’t had any issues beating teams this season, but ten of their 16 MLS matches have produced under 2.5 goals. For that reason, my Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire prediction is a 2-0 win in favor of the hosts.