The Bent Musket Predicts: Revolution at DC United

If there were a club New England would rather not face right now, it’s Wayne Rooney-led DC United. After his stunning moment of brilliance on Sunday night vs Orlando City, rescuing three pivotal points from an Eastern Conference playoff contender, the England legend may have just turned the four-time MLS Cup champion’s season around. An energized, playoff-hungry DC squad at home is the last thing a desperate Revs’ team — on a six-match winless skid, with just one victory in their last nine — needs this weekend. Yet, that’s the mountain standing before them.

Making matters worse, New England is just plain awful in the District, with a pathetic 9-23-4 record during the regular season. In fact, they’ve lost five in a row down there by a cumulative 10-1 scoreline. Their last win in DC was a 2-1 victory in 2013 when the Red and Black finished with a 3-24-7 record, the worst season by any club in MLS history. Not too comforting, huh?

If we run the often-fruitless exercise of comparing results vs common opponents at the same venue, here’s how it looks:

Away at CLB: Revs D DCU L

Home vs CLB: Revs L DCU W

Away at PHI: Revs L DCU L

Away at SJ: Revs D DCU W

Home vs NY: Revs W DCU L

Home vs COL: Revs W DCU W

Away at MTL: Revs L DCU D

So overall, New England is 2-3-2 and DC United is 3-3-1 against the same clubs at the same venue thus far in 2018...for what it’s worth.

Here’s what The Bent Musket staff thinks will happen this weekend:

Seth: DCU 3, Revs 2

Comment: I’m predicting a barn-burner since both teams are desperate for three points. The Revs are likely to grab a couple of goals but I think the circumstances of Sunday’s match will prove to be too much. D.C. are looking formidable and they’re slowly turning Audi Field into a fortress.

Tony: DCU 2 Revs 2

Comment: The season’s on the brink, and the Revs historically can’t win in DC. But I believe in this team, and I think they can fight through this funk or summer swoon or whatever it is and remain in the playoff hunt until the end. Why? Because the bottom half of the Eastern Conference is just not that good. DC is also coming off a midweek match in which they used an almost first-choice lineup, so who knows how much they’ll have left in the tank or how well the second-choicers will play. The Revs have been competitive in just about every match this season, home and away. I think that’ll continue on Sunday. Otherwise, a loss here and the postseason coffin gets another nail.

Summary

NE win:

DC win: 1

Draw: 1

*Point allocation (up to 5 points/match): Result=3; Score (both teams)=2; Score (one team)=1

What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section below!