The MLS season reaches gameweek four at the weekend as Sporting Kansas City travel to Texas to face Dallas at the Toyota Stadium in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The hosts are currently sixth in the Western Conference table whilst Kansas sit in 10th.
Match preview
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Nico Estevez's Dallas have had a mixed start to their 2023 campaign as they began the season poorly with a 1-0 loss at home to Minnesota United before bouncing back the following week by beating LA Galaxy 3-1.
Last time out Dallas drew 1-1 away at the Vancouver Whitecaps, where they took the lead in the fifth minute through Sebastien Ibeagha but could not hold on for a victory as an own goal from Paul Arriola earned the hosts a share of the spoils.
The Texas outfit have therefore amassed four points from their opening three games for a fifth consecutive season, although their wait for a clean sheet now stands at a joint league-high nine games.
Estevez's side are already five points adrift of the league leaders St Louis City so the upcoming game is important if they want to improve on last term's third-placed finish and mount a serious challenge for the title; they could jump four places to second in the early-season standings with a victory at the weekend.
The Toyota Stadium was a fortress last season as Dallas racked up 10 home wins, and their home form will need to be similarly excellent this campaign if they are to be successful.
The reverse on the opening day to Minnesota was a blow but the Toros are eyeing the second triumph in front of their own fans this term against Kansas on Sunday.
Spanish forward Jesus Jimenez already has two goals to his name in 2023 after he bagged a brace in the victory over LA Galaxy and he will be hoping to make it at least three in four games against Kansas.
Jimenez will need to repeat his excellent form from last season if Dallas are to compete for the title as his 18 strikes and six assists in 2022 were central to their success.
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Peter Vermes's Kansas have endured a poor start to 2023 - two draws and a loss from their opening three games of the season have left them languishing in 10th place.
Both of those draws have been goalless affairs too - against Colorado and LA Galaxy - stretching their run of not scoring or conceding to 263 minutes since the sixth-minute goal they shipped in their opening match in Portland.
This continues a trend of goal-shyness from last term, as their tally of 42 was the second-lowest in the Western Conference.
Despite their lack of goals, the Missouri outfit have managed an MLS-high 26 shots on target so far this campaign, including 11 in each of the last two games.
Those 26 shots on target equal the most by any team through three matches of an MLS season since 2010, so Kansas will be hoping to increase their conversion rate dramatically on Sunday.
The poor start to the campaign is a surprise though, as they ended the previous season in terrific form with three wins and only one defeat in their last six matches.
A trip to Dallas is not the easiest place to go in search of your first win and goals of the year but Kansas will be buoyed by their good recent record against the Texas outfit as they have only lost one of the last five encounters between the teams.
Vermes's side did suffer a 2-1 defeat in their last visit to the Toyota Stadium so will be aiming for revenge at the weekend.
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Team News
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Dallas have a fully-fit squad to choose from for the meeting with Kansas, so Peter Vermes is expected to name an unchanged 11 from the game against Vancouver.
Arriola and Alan Velasco will provide the width and support Jimenez in attack, whilst Edwin Cerrillo, Sebastian Lletget and Paxton Pomykal will make up the midfield three in the 4-3-3 system.
Kansas City have several injury concerns ahead of the trip to Texas at the weekend - club captain Johnny Russell, Logan Ndenbe and Tim Melia are all out with muscle injuries.
Erik Thommy will take the captain's armband and Russell's place in midfield, John Pulskamp will deputise in goal for Melia and Tim Leibold will play at left-back.
Forward Alan Pulido and midfielder Gadi Kinda have both undergone knee surgery so Willy Agada and Roger Espinoza are likely to retain their places in the starting lineup.
Defender Kortne Ford has had an operation recently on his Achilles tendon, so Andreu Fontas will partner Robert Voloder at the heart of Kansas' defence.
Daniel Salloi will be looking to continue his fine form against Sunday's opponents, having netted four of Sporting's last seven goals against Dallas and scored six MLS goals against them in total - more than against any other team.
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Twumasi, Tafari, Ibeagha, Farfan; Cerrillo, Lletget, Pomykal; Arriola, Jimenez, Velasco
Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:
Pulkamp; Zusi, Voloder, Fontas, Leibold; Walter, Espinoza, Thommy; Shelton, Agada, Salloi
We say: Dallas 2-0 Sporting Kansas City
Both these teams are in less than ideal form going into the match, but Dallas' excellent home record means they will be confident of recording a win given their opponents' winless start to the season.
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Top tip
Ollie Hawthorn
