Greg Vanney continues to battle without standout LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig as his side prepare to host New York City FC on Wednesday in MLS.
The Los Angeles outfit are unbeaten throughout this season at their home Dignity Health Sports Park after overcoming Sporting Kansas City 4-2 on Saturday.
Vanney's men are yet to lose through eight games on their own turf, sitting third in the Western Conference and just three points behind leaders Real Salt Lake.
Yet the Galaxy remain without star man Puig, formerly of Barcelona, as Vanney continues to work around the Spaniard's absence.
"I think for me, we are positionally a little bit more stable," Vanney said, before lauding Puig.
"Our two pivots stayed in our pivots. [Against SKC] we were able to – we were more predictable even for each other in terms of our spots.
"When Riqui is on the field, he starts high, comes low, he defends high, he drops low. That sets a series of moments into play that are hard to defend, and Riqui has special qualities to be able to change the tempo of the game like nobody else in our league.
"If Riqui is here, if we can do both, stay inside the systems and use his qualities in the best way possible, and we have even another level [to go to]."
New York are fourth in the Eastern Conference after a 3-2 home defeat to Columbus Crew last time out – the visitors recording four straight wins on the road on Friday.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Dejan Joveljic
Dejan Joveljic recorded his team-leading 10th goal of the season and an assist in the win over Kansas City.
Joveljic ranks tied for sixth in MLS for goals scored during the 2024 campaign and will be keen to add to that tally here.
New York City FC – Santiago Rodriguez
Santiago Rodriguez remains the leading light of the New York attack, netting his seventh goal of the campaign in the defeat to Columbus.
The Pigeons attacker has more MLS strikes than any team-mate this term, though Cushing will be desperate his goals can help New York to victory this time around.
MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY WIN
The Galaxy are unbeaten in their first eight home matches of the season (W5 D3) for the first time since 2016 (15 straight) including winning the last three in a row at home. They have lost only one of their last 18 regular-season home matches dating back to last June (W9 D8).
NYCFC have won four of their six all-time meetings with the Galaxy, though LA won the last meeting, 1-0, in February 2022. This will be the seventh meeting between the sides and the fifth in Carson.
NYCFC have won their last three road matches after winning just one of their previous 23 on the road in all competitions dating back to the start of the 2023 season (D9 L13). This run equals their longest-ever road winning streak, having also won three in a row away from home in April-May 2019.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 41.7%
New York City FC – 31.7%
Draw – 26.7%