MLS: All the possible Decision Day permutations and predictions

Who gets home-field advantage in the West?

Now (2nd-5th): MIN 53 – SEA 53 – LAG 51 – RSL 50

Four teams in the Western Conference are looking for the three spots that guarantee home-field advantage for the first round of the postseason. One, therefore, will miss out. Each of the four teams could find themselves making a road trip in the postseason’s opening salvo if results do not go their way on Sunday night, and there is a twist in the tale to this one.

At least one, if not both, of the Seattle Sounders and Minnesota United are guaranteed a top-four spot because they play each other at CenturyLink Field. Should either team win, they will cement themselves into the second spot, while a tie would be enough for both teams to finish inside the top four, as a point for each would take them out of reach of current fifth-placed side Real Salt Lake.

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Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Galaxy travel to the already-eliminated Houston, knowing a victory would be enough for them to secure a top-four spot. RSL make the trip northwest to Vancouver for their final clash of the campaign, with the Whitecaps already guaranteed to finish bottom of the Conference.

With Houston 11th and Vancouver 12th, it is pretty likely that both the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake will take victories in their final matches of the 2019 term, so it all depends on the result of the Seattle-Minnesota game.

The other meeting between teams earlier this year came at Allianz Field and was a 1-1 tie. The Loons would take that on Sunday, but Seattle should have too much for them, especially in front of their own fans at CenturyLink, meaning Minnesota would drop from second to fifth come the end of Sunday’s action.

Matches with Playoff Permutations:

SEATTLE SOUNDERS v MINNESOTA UNITED

Houston Dynamo v LA GALAXY

Vancouver Whitecaps v REAL SALT LAKE

What Each Team Needs for 2nd:

MIN – Win, or Tie & LA tie/loss

SEA – Win

LAG – Win & MIN/SEA tie

RSL – 3rd with MIN/SEA loss & LAG tie/loss

Prediction:

MIN lose, SEA win, LAG win, RSL win

(2) SEA 56 – (3) LAG 54 – (4) RSL 53 – (5) MIN 53