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• Colorado Rapids v Minnesota United: Loons 'start from zero' in every game – Ramsay

  Eric Ramsay urges Minnesota United not to get ahead of themselves despite a high-flying start to the season as they prepare to travel to Colorado Rapids.

  Minnesota have lost just two games in the MLS this season and are currently second in the Western Conference after a run of five without defeat.

  However, Ramsay is keen to make sure his side do not get complacent despite their good run of form.

  "I'm trying not to read too much into the table because it changes so quickly," he said. 

  "You can feel as we are at the moment that you're on a really good run, but when you look at the table, and you find you haven't really got much separation, although you feel like you've had five games when you've had to grind out good performances and results.

  "I've used the phrase with the players a few times that we're starting from zero every game. Our form that we go into games with is meaningless."

  Colorado are just three points behind Minnesota in the table, sitting in sixth, having alternated between a win and a loss in their last six matches.

  Head coach Chris Armas remains optimistic after their defeat to FC Cincinnati last weekend, saying: "We're on our way to becoming a really good team," he said.

  "The results show that, the performances show that, the mentality of the team shows that. We've beaten some pretty good teams this year.

  "We gave everything we had [in the defeat to FC Cincinnati] and fell a little short, but it makes us no less competitors or winners. We think we're better for [the loss]."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

  Navarro is the first Rapids player since Kei Kamara in 2019-20 to score in four consecutive regular-season matches. Only three players in the team’s history, most recently Omar Cummings in 2010, have scored in five straight league matches.

  Minnesota United – Joseph Rosales

  Rosales has recorded an assist in five consecutive regular-season matches for Minnesota United, the first player to do so in the team’s history. Rosales has totaled seven assists in those five games after recording just two assists in his first 53 MLS matches.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  The Rapids suffered a 5-3 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday, the club’s fifth defeat of the season. Colorado have bounced back following their first four losses of the season, winning the next match three times, and drawing once.

  Minnesota earned a 2-1 win against the Rapids in their last visit to Colorado in March 2023 – it was their first road win against the Rapids in club history (D1 L5 prior).

  Indeed, Minnesota have 24 points from their first 12 games this season (W7 D3 L2), six more than they have ever had at this stage of a season before. The Loons have won four of their last five matches (D1).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Colorado Rapids – 36.1%

  Draw – 25.8%

  Minnesota United – 38.1%

• Verstappen not expecting 'very easy weekend' at Monaco Grand Prix

  Max Verstappen believes it will be a far from "very easy weekend" at the Monaco Grand Prix, as he looks to extend his lead at the top of the Drivers' Championship.

  The three-time world champion has a 48-point advantage at the summit after winning five of the opening seven races this season.

  Verstappen could make history by surpassing Ayrton Senna with an eighth successive pole in Qualifying, and maintaining his perfect record at the start of the campaign.

  Although, the narrow track layout and high kerbs may present a problem to Red Bull, who struggled with the latter at last year's Singapore Grand Prix, where they failed to finish on the podium for the only time in 2023.

  Ferrari's strength in slow-speed corners could also prove crucial, while Lando Norris' challenge appears to be gathering momentum after the McLaren driver finished less than a second behind him in Imola last weekend. 

  "In Monaco, you might have some surprises," Verstappen said. "It's one of the more difficult tracks for us.

  "In the last few years, Ferrari have always been very, very strong here. Plus, McLaren lately - the last two races - really ramped up in performance. They are, for sure, ones to watch as well.

  "I don't think this is going to be a very easy weekend. Our car normally struggles a bit over bumps and kerbs. Monaco is never very straightforward, even when you have the best car. Monaco is a very tricky track to get everything to work.

  "For sure, things have closed up [the challenge from Norris], which makes it very important to try to be at our very best. I know that is not always a very realistic possibility, but you always try to get to a certain point and maybe the last few races we haven't been operating at that."

• Al-Riyadh 2-2 Al-Nassr: Laporte sent off for punch as Al-Nemer salvages point

  Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte was sent off for punching Mohammed Al-Aqel on the arm as Al-Nassr played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League.

  Meshari Al-Nemer's 97th-minute strike salvaged a point for Al-Nassr, who had trailed for over half the game and played with a one-man disadvantage for over half an hour.

  Otavio had put Al-Nassr ahead only for Andre Gray to drag the hosts level, before Al-Aqel gave David Ospina no chance with a terrific overhead kick to make it 2-1.

  Al-Nassr's position was put in further jeopardy when Laporte was sent off following a bizarre off-the-ball incident which saw him grab and punch Al-Aqel on the elbow, while Cristiano Ronaldo came up with a glaring miss from Sadio Mane's pass across the six-yard box.

  Al-Nemer levelled at the death for Al-Nassr, though they still sit some 14 points adrift of champions Al-Hilal, who could complete an unbeaten season against Al-Wehda on Monday.

  Data Debrief: Laporte's horror show

  It was a game to forget for Laporte, whose bizarre punch on Al-Aqel put Al-Nassr up against it versus a team still in danger of relegation.

  Laporte did not attempt a single tackle in the game while his four duels contested were the joint-fewest of every outfield starter (alongside Khalid Al-Shuwayyi). He was also sent off in Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League quarter-final tie against Al Ain in March.