Eastern Conference outfit New England Revolution are aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the new Major League Soccer campaign this weekend, when they welcome Western Conference side Real Salt Lake to the Gillette Stadium.
Sunday's visitors have also remained unbeaten during their first two games of this season, winning once and drawing on the other occasion, placing them in fifth spot which mirrors the position of their hosts in the Eastern division.
Match preview
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Bruce Arena's side have started this season in perfect form on home soil, claiming all three points last time out in the MLS with a 1-0 win against Dallas.
Carles Gil converted his penalty just before half time in that match, which ended up being enough for the hosts to secure victory last Saturday, and their first clean sheet of the campaign.
That triumph was followed by a comfortable 3-0 win against Mexican outfit Pumas in the CONCACAF Champions League, with the goals on Thursday coming from Sebastian Lletget, and a brace from Adam Buksa.
New England will be looking to make it three consecutive wins at the Gillette Stadium, and that could potentially lift Arena's side to top of the standings.
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Real Salt Lake have the same opportunity to climb to the summit of the table with victory this weekend, after two clean sheets have helped Pablo Mastroeni's side pick up four points from a possible six so far.
Last time out, Salt Lake welcomed Seattle Sounders to the Rio Tinto Stadium, and an early second-half strike from Bobby Wood secured a deserved three points, having created better chances than their visitors throughout that match.
This weekend's visitors will want to continue their strong defensive record, having not conceded a goal yet, and if they can claim another clean sheet, then that will sufficiently increase their chances of another win at the beginning of this campaign.
Salt Lake have only managed to net once in their opening two fixtures, so converting more of their chances will also be key going further forward into the season, but that stat may be difficult to change against New England, who have started well on their own patch.
The visitors are expected to be on the front foot from the start on Sunday, as they will look to press New England high up the pitch, having won possession in the final third the most out of any other team in the MLS this season.
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Team News
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New England goalkeeper Matt Turner has not managed to feature for his side so far this season, and he is not expected to return from a foot injury until later this month, meaning that Earl Edwards Jr will continue between the posts.
The hosts will line up in their usual 4-3-1-2 formation, with Gustavo Bou, who is looking to open his MLS account for this season, and Buksa, whose confidence will be high after a brace in the CONCACAF Champions League, leading the line for the Revolution.
Lletget offers an attacking threat from midfield, along with number 10 Gil, while Matt Polster and Arnor Ingvi Traustason will hold a more deeper role in the middle of the field.
Mastroeni continues to be left with selection difficulties for this encounter, as Damir Kreilach, Rubio Rubin, David Ochoa and Nick Besler, who all sat out last weekend, will also be absent through injury against New England.
The visitors are expected to operate in a 3-4-3 formation, and the starting 11 is likely to remain the same to the side which defeated the Sounders, with Andrew Brody and Tate Schmitt working in their wing-back roles.
Justin Meram and Maikel Chang will support central striker Wood in the front three, with wingers Meram and Ramirez looking to get on the scoresheet for the first time this campaign.
New England Revolution possible starting lineup:
Edwards Jr; Jones, Gonzalez, Farrell, Bye; Traustason, Polster, Lletget; Gil; Bou, Buksa
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Silva, Glad, Holt; Schmitt, Ruiz, Caldwell, Brody; Meram, Wood, Ramirez
We say: New England Revolution 1-1 Real Salt Lake
Both of these sides have made a similar start to the season, which is why this clash could be a close affair with nothing to split the two teams.
New England will be confident on home soil, but their visitors are expected to take the game to their hosts with a strong press which could be the key to Salt Lake getting on the scoresheet.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a New England Revolution win with a probability of 65.13%. A draw had a probability of 20.1% and a win for Real Salt Lake had a probability of 14.74%.
The most likely scoreline for a New England Revolution win was 2-0 with a probability of 11.42%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-0 (11.09%) and 2-1 (9.85%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (9.56%), while for a Real Salt Lake win it was 0-1 (4.64%). The actual scoreline of 2-3 was predicted with a 1.2% likelihood.
