DC United host NYCFC at Audi Field on Saturday, November 7 (4:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM PT).
DC United will again put faith in Tai Baribo, the striker who leads the squad with sixteen goals, fifty-nine shots and twenty-four of those on target this season. NYCFC’s threat starts in a different area of the pitch, built around midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who has matched Baribo’s tally with sixteen goals of his own while creating seventy-three chances from deep. Neither side has a fitness concern flagged ahead of this one, so expect both managers to field close to full-strength groups at Audi Field.
DC United sit thirteenth in the Eastern Conference with a goal difference of minus twenty-one, and the alarm bells are ringing after five straight losses. NYCFC, two places better off in eleventh, have been steadier without being spectacular, picking up one win and three draws across their own last five matches. That gap in momentum, allied to Fernández Mercau’s quality in midfield, makes the visitors the value play at Audi Field.
DC United vs NYCFC: Best Bets & Predictions
DC United's five-game skid meets a dangerous Fernández Mercau at Audi Field
Our approach: we weigh DC United's defensive collapse and losing run against NYCFC's steadier recent form and superior individual quality through Fernández Mercau to find value in a narrow win for the visitors.
Odds correct at time of writing and shown in American format for illustration; your local odds may vary. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON).
Season Form & Standings
DC United sit thirteenth in the Eastern Conference with thirty-three points from thirty-three matches and a goal difference of minus twenty-one, leaving little margin for error in the race for the playoffs. NYCFC are two spots above them in eleventh, still firmly in the mix as the regular season winds down.
Eastern Conference
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC United | 13 | 33 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 39 | 60 | -21 | 33 |
DC United vs NYCFC Predicted Lineups
Predicted XI — updated for the latest team news.
DC United
4-4-2NYCFC
4-3-3Potential Match-Winners
- Tai Baribo (DC United): Sixteen goals from fifty-nine shots this season make Baribo DC United’s clearest route to goal, with twenty-four of those efforts already on target.
- Nicolás Fernández Mercau (NYCFC): The midfielder has matched Baribo’s tally with sixteen goals of his own, built on an outstanding seventy-three chances created and eighty-three shots across the season.
- Axel Ojeda (NYCFC): Ojeda has chipped in five goals and created forty-seven chances, giving NYCFC a second reliable scoring outlet up top.
Recent Form
DC United: L L L L L
- 2026-10-31: Columbus Crew 3-0 DC United (L, away)
- 2026-10-28: Toronto FC 2-1 DC United (L, away)
- 2026-10-25: DC United 0-2 FC Cincinnati (L, home)
- 2026-10-22: FC Cincinnati 2-1 DC United (L, away)
- 2026-10-18: Orlando City 4-1 DC United (L, away)
DC United have lost all 5 of their last 5 matches, including defeats of 3-0 at Columbus Crew and 4-1 at Orlando City.
NYCFC: L D D W D
- 2026-10-31: NYCFC 1-1 CF Montreal (D, home)
- 2026-10-28: NYCFC 2-1 Atlanta United (W, home)
- 2026-10-25: Orlando City 2-2 NYCFC (D, away)
- 2026-10-18: NYCFC 1-1 LAFC (D, home)
- 2026-10-15: Inter Miami 2-0 NYCFC (L, away)
NYCFC have 1 win, 3 draws and 1 loss in their last 5 matches, highlighted by a 2-1 win over Atlanta United and a 1-1 draw with CF Montreal most recently.
DC United vs NYCFC Prediction
DC United’s slide shows no sign of stopping, and sitting thirteenth in the East with a minus-twenty-one goal difference, a leaky defence will find little respite against a NYCFC side well-placed in eleventh. Baribo should find the net again, but Fernández Mercau’s class in midfield edges this one for the visitors: DC United 1-2 NYCFC.