Week 36 MLS Picks
For the first time in many months, we’re on a multi-week losing streak. With just five games on this weekend’s slate during the international break, we’ve got fewer choices than normal to attack. But we’ve found some spots that feel great to back.
Before we get to the picks as normal, another reminder that we’ve got an addition to this weekly article in 2025. If you’ve been following along with the podcast during the offseason, you’ll know we’ve partnered with Underdog Fantasy. If you want to play along with us at Underdog, you can sign up today using this link and when you use promo code "NORTHEND" at sign up you'll get up to $1000 in bonus cash plus a free pick!
The official league injury report for Saturday’s games came out Friday afternoon, let’s dive into the Week 36 picks.
Underdog Fantasy Entry of the week
Each match week, we’ll have an Underdog Fantasy entry for you to tail if your heart desires. Let’s get to the board and build a winner!
“Boostober” continues at Underdog Fantasy, meaning we’ve got another 30% boost token to use for our entry this weekend.
We’ll start by backing Inter Miami to score three or more goals, which is something they’ve done in nine of their 16 home matches this season. Atlanta United is in town and will be without 12 total first team players due to injury or international duty, including two of their three DPs. Miami on the other hand will likely have Lionel Messi available for selection after he trained with the Argentinian national team earlier this week. The team hasn’t confirmed this as of yet, but Messi did make a gameday post on his Instagram on Saturday morning, something he typically only does when he’s available. Miami is -165 to score three or more goals tonight and they average 2.5 goals per game at home in 2025.
Next we’re going back to a very familiar prop and attacking Novak Micovic and the LA Galaxy defense. Micovic should be back in the lineup after rotating out last week on short rest and he’s been horrific this season, allowing 1.94 goals per 90 minutes. Some of that can be put on the leaky defense in front of him, but it’s been a year to forget for the young Serbian goal keeper. He’s -145 at the books to concede two or more times on Saturday night, something the Galaxy have done in 20 of their 32 league games this season. They also just gave up two goals against Dallas last Saturday, so we’ll back them to do so again.
Finally, we’ll close things out with another reliable line we’ve attacked with great success this season. Osman Bukari is averaging 0.84 shots on target per 90 this season and has recorded at least one shot on target in 13 of his last 18 starts. The matchup against LAFC isn’t a great one, but with the limited choices on the board for this short slate, we’re more than happy to back the Ghanaian winger at a 1.03x multiplier on Sunday Night Soccer.
Using the standard payout selection (and the 30% Boostober promotion) on Underdog, this 3-pick entry will payout a prize of 8.21x your entry fee if successful.
We’ve added some additional plays that can be substituted in place of the props given above if you miss lock for one of those games or one of those options doesn’t start. The additional plays this week are listed in order of preference and we’re fine using these props in any entry.
Yohei Takaoka O 1.5 goals allowed
Michael Collodi O 1.5 goals allowed (0.87x)
Results
Underdog Fantasy (Last Week): -1 U
Underdog Fantasy (Season): +22.18 U
Week 36 Picks
FC Dallas
ML +160
In last week’s article we talked about leveraging the table against the odds that the books are posting and it went perfectly, hitting both moneyline picks and the two-leg Sunday moneyline parlay. With just five games and a laundry list of important players absent for nine of the ten teams in action, this feels like the strongest spot to attack. FC Dallas has been in great form of late, making a September charge up the table and riding an eight-game unbeaten streak, including a 2-1 win over this same LA Galaxy team last Saturday.
This weekend's fixture shifts to California, where the Galaxy’s only motivation is to avoid the Wooden Spoon. Dallas on the other hand can clinch a postseason berth with a win. With Joseph Paintsil and Marco Reus out, the home team will be missing two of their three best players, while Dallas will be rolling with the same group that has been finding so much late-season success. They’re also the fifth best road team in the Western Conference in 2025. We never like to back our rivals, but FC Dallas at plus money feels great on this slate.
Austin FC Vs LAFC U 2.5
+105
Sunday Night Soccer returns to ATX this week as LAFC is in town to play a previously postponed fixture from July. Both teams are missing their most valuable goal scorers, as the absences of Denis Bouanga, Hueng-min Son and Myrto Uzuni account for 38.7% of the league goals scored by these two teams in 2025. These are also two top-ten defenses in terms of goals allowed, so we aren’t going to overthink this one. We’ll take the under at near even money.
Goal Scorers
Every week we’ll pick a few of our favorite goal scoring options in the betting market. Here are the Week 36 shouts.
Martin Ojeda +160
Rwan Cruz +290
Gabriel Pec +160
Anderson Julio +210
Osman Bukari +265
David Martinez +260
Results
Last Week: -3.91 U
Season: +51.8 U
