Preview: Vancouver Whitecaps vs St Louis City - prediction, team news, lineups

Third-placed Vancouver Whitecaps return to BC Place on Sunday, looking to cement their playoff charge in Major League Soccer as they take on struggling St. Louis City.

The Whitecaps hold the upper hand going into this fixture, but second-bottom St. Louis will be desperate to pull off an upset on the road.

Match preview

Vancouver head into this contest without a win in their last three matches and will be determined to return to winning ways in front of their home fans.

Currently third in the Western Conference standings, Jesper Sorensen’s men have amassed 46 points from 26 matches, winning 13, drawing seven and losing six.

This marks a clear improvement from last season when they finished eighth with 47 points.

With eight games left, they are already close to surpassing that tally and sit just six points behind table-toppers San Diego.

The Whitecaps have been one of the league’s most productive attacking sides, netting 44 goals - the joint-second highest in the West alongside Minnesota with only San Diego (52) and San Jose (50) having scored more.

Defensively, Vancouver have also impressed, registering a league-high 11 clean sheets.

They have scored eight goals in their last five outings, though lapses remain a concern - as shown in their most recent match when they surrendered a 1-0 lead to Houston Dynamo in stoppage time after Brian White’s early penalty.

Their head-to-head record with St. Louis is encouraging, with three wins, one draw and one defeat across their last five meetings.

St. Louis, meanwhile, are enduring another difficult campaign where they currently sit 14th in the Western Conference with 21 points from 26 matches - just five clear of bottom side LA Galaxy.

Defensive frailties have haunted them, conceding 44 goals - the fifth-highest in the league with only LA Galaxy (55), Sporting Kansas City (50), San Jose Earthquakes (47), and FC Dallas (46) having conceded more.

Appointing David Critchley as caretaker boss in May has not sparked a dramatic turnaround, though there has been some improvement.

St. Louis have won two of their last five matches, but also conceded 10 goals in that stretch and failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 16 outings.

Their most recent fixture summed up their struggles: after mounting a comeback, they let three points slip away in a 3-2 defeat to Chicago Fire, conceding an equaliser in the 67th minute and the winner in the 87th.

Vancouver Whitecaps Major League Soccer form:

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Vancouver Whitecaps form (all competitions):

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St Louis City Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Vancouver remain without several key players with Ranko Veselinovic sidelined with a knee injury until mid-September, while captain Ryan Gauld is also recovering from a knee issue and is expected back in early September.

Sam Adekugbe is ruled out for the rest of the season following an Achilles tendon injury, leaving Sorensen light in defence.

In midfield, Sebastian Berhalter and Andres Cubas are likely to continue their partnership at the heart of the team.

New marquee signing Thomas Muller featured for 30 minutes in the last match against Houston and could once again be introduced from the bench

For St. Louis, forward Cedric Teuchert is absent with a muscle injury and is not expected back until early September.

Defender Michael Wentzel is also sidelined with a muscle problem, while the back four of Devin Padelford, Timo Baumgartl, Henry Kessler, and Jaziel Orozco is likely to remain unchanged.

Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:

Takaoka; Ocampo, Utvik, Blackmon, Laborda; Berhalter, Cubas; Sabbi, Badwal, Nelson; White

St Louis City possible starting lineup:

Burki; Padelford, Baumgartl, Fall, Orozco; Lowen, Durkin; Hartel, Ostrak, Jeong; Klauss

We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 St Louis City

Vancouver have been consistent at both ends of the pitch and will fancy their chances against a St. Louis side struggling for form and defensive stability.

With the hosts pushing for a top-four finish and St. Louis yet to solve their issues at the back, the Whitecaps should have too much quality and secure a comfortable home win.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.