Both aiming to end tough runs of form and climb the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference table, New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union will square off in Massachusetts on Saturday.
The hosts currently sit at the foot of the division with just seven points on the board from 11 outings, while their visitors have dropped out of the top seven owing to a six-match winless streak.
Match preview
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New England Revolution return to action on Saturday aiming to put a dismal start to the MLS season behind them and make a return to winning ways, having remained at the foot of the Eastern Conference with a defeat in midweek.
Following a fifth-placed finish last time around, the Revs have managed just seven points from their first 11 outings in 2024, winning just two of those while suffering eight defeats, with no other side across either Conference having scored as few as their nine goals thus far.
After sitting on four points from nine matches, their most recent triumph came away at Chicago Fire last weekend, as Tomas Chancalay netted the only goal of the game around the hour mark, but Caleb Porter's side were unable to build on that return to winning ways when they visited New York Red Bulls last time out.
In an eventful contest at the Red Bull Arena, Carles Gil drew the Revs level at a goal apiece and Giacomo Vrioni pulled one back in the 90th minute after the hosts had gone 3-1 up, but the final goal would go against them as Cameron Harper put the game out of sight and wrapped up a 4-2 home victory shortly after.
Now already trailing 14th-placed Chicago Fire by three points, the playoff wildcard spots by seven and the top seven by 11 points at this early stage, albeit with at least one game in hand on every other team in the Eastern Conference, New England Revolution will be desperate to kickstart their campaign with a much-needed home win on Saturday to begin narrowing the gap to those above them.
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That includes Saturday's visitors, who currently occupy the final wildcard spot in ninth place in the midst of a major rut of their own in recent weeks.
Unlike their hosts, Philadelphia Union enjoyed a fine start to the MLS campaign to establish themselves in the Eastern Conference's leading pack, going seven games unbeaten and earning 13 points along the way, but they now find themselves winless in their last six attempts having only earned a single point in the last five since that opening run.
Indeed, two pairs of back-to-back defeats since late April have only been broken up by a 2-2 draw away at DC United early this month, having come from two goals behind to share the spoils through Alejandro Bedoya and Jack McGlynn in that encounter.
The Union would fail to produce the same heroics in the following outing at home to Orlando City, falling to a 3-2 loss at Subaru Park, before most recently hosting New York City FC and again leaving empty-handed from a 2-1 defeat, having failed to find a leveller after Julian Carranza halved the deficit at the beginning of the second half following goals from Alonso Martinez and Hannes Wolf for the visitors.
The sharp dip in form has seen Jim Curtin's side quickly drop to ninth spot in the Eastern Conference, and now trailing the playoff places by four points, they will be keen to end their six-match winless run and move within touching distance of the top seven once again at the weekend.
Team News
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New England Revolution head into the weekend with an unenviable injury list, as Brandon Bye, Nacho Gil, DeJuan Jones, Thomas McNamara and Jonathan Mensah are all set to remain sidelined.
Young winger Esmir Bajraktarevic will hope to again get the nod to feature in the attack, although Caleb Porter may instead turn to Dylan Borrero, who has made three consecutive substitute appearances after returning from his own injury layoff.
Their star man going forward remains Carles Gil, who will again operate in the middle of a supporting trio behind lone striker Giacomo Vrioni, having contributed four goals and two assists so far this term after notching up 11 and 15 respectively last season, while Tomas Chancalay will look to cause further problems on the wings.
Philadelphia Union travel with a cleaner bill of health than Saturday's hosts, with Andre Blake the only senior member of the squad set to remain sidelined by injury.
Julian Carranza will continue to lead their attack, having managed five goals in his first 10 MLS appearances this season and nine in all competitions, while Mikael Uhre has netted four of his own and will again partner the Argentinian.
Daniel Gazdag is another danger man and will lend support to the front two at the tip of a narrow midfield unit, while Leon Flach may again get the nod to join Quinn Sullivan and Jack McGlynn at the base in front of a back four.
New England Revolution possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Farrell, Arreaga, Kessler, Lima; Polster, Kaye; Vrioni, Gil, Chancalay; Borrero
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Semmle; Harriel, Glesnes, Elliott, Wagner; Flach, McGlynn, Sullivan; Gazdag; Carranza, Uhre
We say: New England Revolution 1-3 Philadelphia Union
With two sides meeting in the midst of tough runs, something is bound to give on Saturday, and we see the Union being too strong for their struggling hosts, given their quality going forward which has been prevalent even throughout the rut.
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