LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC prediction, odds: Soccer expert reveals MLS picks, bets for Sunday, Feb. 27

The defending MLS champions take the field for the first time when New York City FC travels across country to battle the LA Galaxy. New York City FC won its first ever MLS Cup last season, and the defending champs will enter Sunday’s showdown confident after advancing in the CONCACAF Champions League with a dominant 6-0 aggregate win over Santos de Guapiles. The Galaxy, meanwhile, will be looking for better results this season after missing the playoffs in 2021. 

Kickoff from Dignity Health Sports Park is at 5 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Galaxy as the slight +160 favorite (risk $100 to win $160) on the 90-minute money line in its latest LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC odds, with NYCFC the +170 underdog. A draw is priced at +240 and the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in any NYCFC vs. LA Galaxy picks, be sure to see the MLS predictions from soccer insider Brandt Sutton. 

Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe. 

Now, Sutton has broken down LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC from all sides and just locked in his picks and MLS predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for New York City FC vs. LA Galaxy:

• LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC spread: Galaxy -0.5 (+150)
• LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC over-under: 2.5 goals 
• LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC money line: Galaxy +160, NYCFC +170, Draw +240
• LA: The Galaxy secured 13 wins, 12 losses and nine draws last season
• NYC: New York City FC had a +20 goal differential in 2021

Why you should back New York City FC

The defending MLS champions are off to a fast start this season. NYCFC is coming off a dominant 4-0 victory over Santos de Guapiles in the second leg of its CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 clash. Talles Magno scored a brace in Wednesday’s win, with Alfredo Morales and Maxime Chanot also finding the back of the net. 

New York City FC scored 56 goals last season, which ranked second in the Eastern Conference. NYCFC’s offensive attack was led by Valentin Castellanos, who led the entire league with 22 goals scored. The 23-year-old picked up right where he left off last season, scoring two goals in NYCFC’s 2-0 victory over Santos de Guapiles in the first leg. 

Why you should back the LA Galaxy

The Galaxy made a major splash in the offseason by signing Brazilian Douglas Costa on loan from Italian Serie A side Juventus. Costa will bring pace and creativity to a Galaxy attack that scored 50 goals a season ago. Javier Hernandez, universally known as Chicharito, is the main playmaker for the Galaxy. 

Chicharito recorded 17 goals and two assists for the Galaxy last season. In addition, LA scored two or more goals in five of its six preseason games, so the Galaxy will be expecting to find the back of the net against a New York defense that gave up 36 goals in 2021. 

How to make NYCFC vs. LA Galaxy picks

Sutton has taken an in-depth look at LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC and locked in his best bets. He is leaning over 2.5 goals, and he also has two additional best bets and offers a full breakdown of this MLS showdown. He’s only sharing his expert MLS picks at SportsLine.

Who wins LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the NYCFC vs. LA Galaxy match, all from the soccer expert who has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the world, and find out.