Fresh off the back of crashing out of the US Open Cup, New York Red Bulls take a trip to Lumen Field to square off against Seattle Sounders in the MLS on Saturday.
While the Sounders are currently on a run of two back-to-back defeats, they could regain top spot in the Western Conference table with all three points this weekend.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having flown out of the blocks this season, Seattle Sounders appear to have run out of steam which was highlighted last Sunday when they suffered a 2-0 against Vancouver Whitecaps.
Pedro Vite's first-half strike and a 58th-minute own goal from Stefan Frei helped Vanni Sartini's men snap their run of two back-to-back league defeats and extend their undefeated run at BC Place to four matches.
Having picked up five wins in their opening seven matches, Seattle Sounders have now lost four of their last five across all competitions, including a 3-1 defeat against LA Galaxy in the US Open Cup on May 11.
For all their recent struggles, Brian Schmetzer's men currently sit second in the Western Conference standings, two points behind first-placed Los Angeles FC, who have played two fewer matches.
Seattle Sounders will be backing themselves to find their feet as they return to Lumen Field, where they are currently on a three-match winning streak against this weekend's visitors.
© Reuters
New York Red Bulls, on the other hand, suffered a round-of-16 exit from the US Open Cup on Wednesday morning as they were beaten 5-4 on penalties by FC Cincinnati.
Yuya Kubo and Dante Vanzeir scored for either side at the Red Bull Arena to take the game to extra time, and with nothing to separate the sides after 120 minutes, Pat Noonan's men scored all five spot kicks to progress to the quarter-finals.
The Red Bulls now return to action in the MLS, where they are currently on a three-match unbeaten run, claiming seven points from a possible nine since dismissing former manager Gerhard Struber.
Struber guided the New York Red Bulls to just one win in their opening 11 league matches, which came on March 19, when they beat Colombia Crew 2-1 on home turf.
However, new manager Troy Lesesne has hit the ground running at the helm of affairs, claiming wins over Montreal and local rivals New York City FC either side of a goalless draw at Toronto FC.
This upturn in form has seen the New York Red Bulls surge from the bottom of the Eastern Conference table as they now sit level on 16 points with 10th-placed New York City.
Team News
© Reuters
Seattle Sounders head into the weekend without several players down the spine of the team, including Ethan Dobbelaere and Kelyn Rowe, who have been sidelined with sprained ankles.
Cristian Roldan has been out of action since mid-April as he follows the concussion protocol, while Raul Ruidiaz is dealing with a right hamstring strain.
Obed Vargas is currently representing the United States Under-20 team at the ongoing World Cup and will play no part in this weekend's game.
Just like the hosts, New York Red Bulls, also have to make do without Daniel Edelman, who is on international duty with America at the ongoing Under-20 World Cup.
On the injury front, Lesesne will be unable to call upon the midfield duo of Kyle Duncan and Steven Sserwadda, who are currently recuperating from knee injuries.
Frankie Amaya has missed the last nine matches after spraining his ankle against San Jose Earthquakes on April 9, while Lewis Morgan is currently dealing with a hip problem.
American midfielder Omir Fernandez missed the midweek cup clash against Cincinnati through a muscle injury and will be assessed ahead of Saturday's showdown.
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Arreaga, Gomez, Tolo; Rusnak, Paulo; Chu, Lodeiro, Morris; Heber
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Coronel; D Nealis, S Nealis, Reyes, Tolkin; Carmona, Casseres, Yearwood; Fernandez; Vanzeir, Morgan
We say: Seattle Sounders 2-2 New York Red Bulls
Barring Thursday's cup exit, New York Red Bulls have enjoyed a superb start to life under 39-year-old manager Lesesne and will be looking to quickly bounce back. However, they will most likely struggle to claim all three points given their struggles on the road and the Sounders' home record in this fixture.
How to watch
You can watch Seattle Sounders vs. New York Red Bulls and every MLS match this season live on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
