Vancouver Whitecaps' Ali Ahmed believes his team have the upper hand as they prepare to welcome Los Angeles FC to BC Place in MLS on Sunday.

Vancouver have impressed so far this season, losing just one of their league matches so far to sit top of the Western Conference on 26 points.

They are unbeaten in 10 in all competitions, and have won their last four outings, coming into this match on the back of a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.

Vancouver and LAFC have faced off a lot in recent years, including in the playoffs last season, but Ahmed believes the Whitecaps have the advantage going into their latest meeting.

"This Sunday, we're looking at [them] a different way. Because we're a different team this year," he said. "We're confident. You could say we're maybe the team with the upper hand.

"We're more polished, a lot more experienced, a lot more battle-tested. We've failed a couple times; we've gone through the lows that you have to go through to get to the highs.

"I think we've experienced that together the last two years. And I think this year now, with all those lows and failures that we've experienced, I think we're a smarter and more confident group."

LAFC, meanwhile, sit fifth in the West on 17 points, and are looking to build on their recent run to start challenging near the top once more.

They are on a four-match unbeaten streak and beat the Houston Dynamo 2-0 after back-to-back draws.

Steve Cherundolo has already announced this will be his last season at the helm for LAFC, but he believes that is just added motivation for his side to do well.

"There's nothing to hold back," Cherundolo said. "It makes it easier to push even harder to end on the most positive note possible.

"What other people think about it, I'm not in control of, nor do I spend any time wasting energy on that. That's not my issue. The team is my issue.

"Everybody is locked in and focused on being as successful as possible."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vancouver Whitecaps – Jayden Nelson

Jayden Nelson is Vancouver's joint-top assister in MLS this season, setting up four goals (level with Ahmed), but he scored just his second goal of the campaign last time out.

He was responsible for a team-high four shots (level with Pedro Vite) against Real Salt Lake, while he also created two chances.

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga

Denis Bouanga has scored eight times against the Whitecaps in all competitions since the start of the 2023 season, more than any other player against any other MLS opponent in that time.

MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

This will be the 13th meeting between Vancouver and Los Angeles FC since the start of the 2023 season. LAFC won eight of the 12 meetings over the last two seasons (D2 L2), eliminating the Whitecaps from the 2023 Concacaf Champions League as well as the playoffs each of the last two seasons.

Vancouver are the sixth team in MLS history to collect 26 or more points through the first 11 matches of a season and the first since LA Galaxy in 2010 (29). This is the first time the Whitecaps have collected 26 points in any span of 11 matches within a single season in the club's MLS history.

They are also unbeaten in 10 straight matches in all competitions (W6 D4), including winning each of the last four. It is the first time they have won four in a row since March-April 2015, while they have not won five straight since 2012.

LAFC, meanwhile, have won only one of their last nine away matches in all competitions (D1 L7) dating back to last season's playoffs. They have conceded at least three goals in five of those nine matches, including the last two.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Vancouver Whitecaps – 48.5%

Draw – 25.8%

Los Angeles FC – 25.7%