Pat Noonan believes it was important for FC Cincinnati's confidence to keep a clean sheet at FC Dallas last time out, saying fans must trust the process ahead of their midweek trip to D.C United.
Cincinnati claimed their sixth straight road victory last time out by a 1-0 scoreline, returning to winning ways following a 2-1 defeat at home to the New England Revolution.
The Supporters' Shield holders are just two points behind this year's pacesetters Inter Miami despite their squad going through something of an overhaul in pre-season.
While Noonan is pleased with his team's defensive resilience, he also feels there is much more to come.
"We've lost a couple of key pieces and we're trying to find our best group each game. We're still trying to find answers," Noonan said.
"No question it was important for the confidence of the group… but also not weathering the storm for 90 minutes and just conceding chance after chance, that wasn't the case.
"It's going to be a game-by-game process.
"I hate to say the word process, but with a particular group of players trying to get better and understand the relationships and the roles, we have to figure out a way to continue to be strong with what we have."
D.C., meanwhile, are 13th in the East after going nine games without a win, though they did avoid a fourth straight loss by drawing 2-2 with the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
Asked how he felt after that game, coach Troy Lesesne said: "No mixed emotions. I'm incredibly proud of the group, they showed the kind of character and integrity that we want to have under challenging circumstances.
"They fought, and I think that is exactly what is necessary for us to get ourselves into a better position in the table.
"There's a long way to go in 2024 and we're going to keep fighting."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
D.C. United – Pedro Santos
Santos scored D.C. United's second goal in their 2-2 draw with the Red Bulls from a direct free-kick.
It was just the second direct free-kick goal for the club in the last five years, with Yordy Reyna scoring the other one against Atlanta United in August 2021.
FC Cincinnati – Luca Orellano
Orellano netted his fifth goal of the season last time out as Cincinnati got back to winning ways in Dallas.
Only Luciano Acosta (nine) and Yuya Kubo (seven) have more in MLS for the team this year.
MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN
D.C. United are winless in nine straight matches, drawing three and losing six. They last had a longer winless run in regular-season play in 2013 and 2014, a 15-match span that included 12 games without a win to end the 2013 campaign.
Cincinnati are excellent travellers and enter this match as big favourites.
They are the third team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to win six straight on the road in regular-season MLS play, and could tie the record of seven with another victory here, set by CF Montreal from July to October 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
D.C. United – 22.4%
FC Cincinnati – 55.5%
Draw – 22.1%
Aguero: City players must adopt Guardiola mentality to rediscover form
Manchester City all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero thinks that the players need to be more like manager Pep Guardiola if they are to continue their golden era.
Aguero's rallying cry came after City's fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday, the first time Guardiola has gone this long without a victory in his career.
The Citizens have lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006, when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club and are 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League.
But despite their recent run, the Argentine, who 260 times in 390 appearances for City, is confident that his former side can finish the season with more silverware.
"I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League," he told Sky Sports News.
"Whatever City has to play for, they'll be the firm favourites. I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it's not easy to always be the favourites."
Last season, City became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles but, with their form taking a dip and Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is the potential for instability at the Etihad.
But, according to Aguero, their manager is the key to their past and future success.
That frame of mind is understandable, given that Guardiola is the most successful Manchester City manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies – 50% of the major honours in the club's history – with a win percentage of 72%.
"I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality," Aguero said.
"For me, he's the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.
"Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it's normal, but Pep's team has been up there since he took charge, and that's something many people don't see.
"I think we have to acknowledge he's the reason his players have a winning mentality. He's strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.
"We should take our hats off because it's not easy to be there with the players every day, especially considering the players we're talking about.
"All the time, he's like, 'come on, we have to keep winning!' Living that every day can get exhausting sooner or later, but he's been doing this for days, months, even years, and I think that's why City are one of the favourites because Pep never rests and he never gives a rest to his players.
"That, for me, is the key to success for any team."
Malacia makes Man Utd comeback after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
Malacia makes injury comeback for Under-21s after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
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