John Herdman has pledged to work on Toronto FC's shortcomings ahead of Saturday's derby versus CF Montreal, which he has described as a "six-pointer".

Toronto ended a miserable 10-game winless run by beating the Philadelphia Union 2-1 last weekend but were then brought crashing back to earth in midweek.

An Inter Miami team without Lionel Messi or Sergio Busquets, and with Luis Suarez limited to a substitute role, beat the Reds 3-1 to leave them eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's trip to Quebec, Herdman said getting on the right side of the fine margins must be their focus, saying: "We'll fix some things. 

"We'll fix our set-pieces and move forward. We've got to look, mentally, at how we stay stronger, collectively, tactically how we adjust to manage these tougher periods. 

"We will own this together and next task is on to Montreal. We've got two days to get ready for Montreal. Massive game. Six-pointer. We'll get after it.

Winger Derrick Etienne Jr., meanwhile, thinks the match comes at an ideal time.

"It comes at the right time," he said. "We want to get back to winning ways and I don't think there is any better way than getting a win in the derby."

Montreal are level on points with Toronto but are on the rise after a 1-0 win over Atlanta United and Wednesday's 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls, coming from behind twice in the latter game.

Mathieu Choiniere put through his own net in midweek but has impressed this season amid speculation he could leave the club, and boss Laurent Courtois has moved to highlight his contribution.

"He wants to give everything for his club, and I need Mathieu, not only for his versatility but also for the mentality and identity we want to have here," Courtois said. 

"Now the player wants to get something to feel more valued, and at the end of the day we're all the same right? You just want to be valued for what you give, and he gives a lot."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Josef Martinez

Martinez scored both of Montreal's goals off the bench on Wednesday, his 22nd multi-goal MLS match and his second as a substitute. 

The striker's 22 multi-goal games are tied for third most in league history.

Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi 

Bernardeschi has scored six goals in five matches against Montreal, including a hat-trick in the rivals' last meeting. 

Only Brian White (seven versus St. Louis City) has scored more goals against a single opponent in MLS since Bernardeschi joined the league in July 2022.

MATCH PREDICTION – CF MONTREAL WIN

Montreal have won five straight home matches against Toronto, the longest home winning streak by either team against the other in the history of the series (54 matches).

They twice came from behind against the Red Bulls on Wednesday and have now lost just two of their last 11 matches (three wins, six draws). With home advantage on their side, they will be favourites.

Indeed, Toronto are winless in their last eight away games (two draws, six losses), including losing their last five road matches in a row. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

CF Montreal – 56.1%

Toronto FC – 21.2%

Draw – 22.7%

New York Red Bulls will be out to defend the only remaining unbeaten home record in MLS when they host road strugglers CF Montreal.

Sandro Schwarz's side were held to a 1-1 draw with Colorado Rapids last time out, keeping them fourth in the Eastern Conference.

New York are still 11 points adrift of conference leaders FC Cincinnati but will hope to make up ground when Montreal visit, with the away side 10th in the East standings.

Excitement remains around the Red Bulls and another post-season push, with defender Noah Eile relishing the chance to play in New York and under Schwarz.

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity that he and the coaching staff have in me," Eile said.

"They gave me the chance to come here first and it's a big thing for me to be able to come here and play for this great club and great league.

"I just want to be better to show that gratitude towards them."

Montreal defeated Atlanta United 1-0 in their last outing, stretching their league unbeaten run at home to seven games.

The Canadian side did not allow a single shot on target in that win, yet head coach Laurent Courtois still wants more.

"I was disappointed with the collective management of certain individuals tonight and the game scenario," Courtois said after the Atlanta result. "We did some good things, but during the last 25 minutes, it was frustrating to get caught in transition situations.

"I was disappointed at that level. It was especially the transition in possession that was difficult. We had the opportunity to put ourselves out of harm's way with a second goal and we didn't do it.

"Our management of the power play was naive. We hope that we will be able to find more efficiency in the last pass and the presence in the box."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New York Red Bulls – Lewis Morgan

Lewis Morgan netted his 10th goal of the season in the Red Bulls' draw at Colorado on Sunday, his second 10-goal season with New York (14 in 2022).

Morgan is the only Red Bulls player with a 10-goal season since Daniel Royer (11 goals) in 2019, leading New York in attack once again.

CF Montreal – Ruan

Ruan has scored two goals in his last four MLS appearances after not scoring for over two years.

This is the third time Ruan has scored two goals in a single regular season (also in 2021 and 2022 with Orlando City), but can he continue that run here?

MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN

The Red Bulls are the heavy favourites for this clash, considering their remarkable head-to-head record against Montreal.

New York have won 12 of their 14 regular-season home matches against Montreal  (L2), with their 85.7% win rate the highest for any team at home against another in MLS history (minimum 10 meetings).

The Red Bulls are also unbeaten in their first 10 regular-season home games in 2024 (W6 D4), the club's second-longest home unbeaten run to start a season (13 straight in 2012).

New York are unbeaten in 13 straight at home in all competitions, last losing at Red Bull Arena against Chicago Fire last October, while Montreal are winless in nine straight regular-season away matches (D2 L7).

Montreal have just four wins in their 29 away league matches since the start of last season, and their struggles will expectedly continue here.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New York Red Bulls win – 59%

Draw – 21.4%

CF Montreal win – 19.6%

Interim Atlanta United head coach is hoping to see improvements from his side following their shock US Open cup exit ahead of returning to league action against CF Montreal this weekend.

The Five Stripes exited the competition at the quarter-final stage to USL side Indy Eleven, as Nick Firmino’s late strike proved only to be a consolation.

Atlanta come into the game off the back of consecutive defeats in the MLS, the latest of which came against Real Salt Lake at America First Field.

Just a point separates the two sides in the Eastern Conference table, with Atlanta sitting in 10th place, a point ahead of their opponents.

Valentino is hoping to see an improvement in the attacking areas from his players as they aim to return to winning ways in the MLS.

"When we have a team within their own box, we have to move very quickly and have some quality with it," said Valentino. "We’ve talked about different areas where we can attack, yeah sure, but from there we have to have a little bit more quality in how we execute in the final third"

"But even tonight, at the very end when we get an own goal at the very end, and I said to them just try to get one. If you can get one goal, it means you are still pushing and still trying to be in the game, and they did.

"They had two chances, and they ended up getting one. You have to keep going, no one is going to feel sorry for us, and I think that is sort of the message to me."

Montreal, meanwhile, snatched a late point in their last league fixture against Vancouver Whitecaps as Matias Coccaro struck late for the hosts.

Laurent Courtois’ side have endured an indifferent run of results of late, winning two of their last eight matches, four of which have ended in a draw.

Montreal sit 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, and know a victory will see them leapfrog their opponents while also bridging the gap between the sides at the bottom of the table.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

Sunusi Ibrahim is Montreal’s top scorer this season with six goals from 21 league appearances and will be hopeful of ending his dry spell in front of his home supporters.

Ibrahim has failed to find the back of the net in his last four outings, having recorded six goal contributions (five goals, one assist) in seven appearances beforehand.

Atlanta United – Daniel Rios

Rios has been in fine form for Atlanta of late, and he will be keen to influence proceedings once again at the Stade Saputo.

The Mexican has been involved in six of the Five Stripes’ last nine MLS goals (four goals, two assists), recording at least one goal contribution in each of his last four MLS appearances. 

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Both sides come into the encounter searching for a much-needed victory in an attempt to get their respective seasons back on track.

Atlanta have won only three of its last 17 league matches (D6 L8), including losing the last two in a row. The Five Stripes have managed only two clean sheets in that time.

Montreal are enduring a similar run to their opponents in the MLS. They have won only two of their last 17 matches in all competitions (D8 L7). Montreal, however, are unbeaten in six games at home (W2 D4).

The Five Stripes do edge the head-to-head meetings, having won seven of their previous 13 all-time meetings (D3 L3), though they have struggled at the Stade Saputo. Only two of their victories have come in Montreal.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 39.7%

Draw – 26.6%

Atlanta United – 33.7%

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini has urged his team to keep fighting for a playoff place as they travel to CF Montreal in MLS.

The Whitecaps have lost just two of their last six matches and got back to winning ways on the road with their 3-1 win over Minnesota United in midweek.

They are now up to fifth in the Western Conference, but Sartini knows they cannot rest on their laurels with the teams below them closing in.

"We hit like three or four performances where we were a little bit poor, and two wins where we didn't really deserve to win," Sartini said.

"Playing more defensive allowed us to get points, but in the last two games, we've returned to the form that got big results at the start of the season.

"We need to put the costume from [Sporting] Kansas City on so we can fight to get the win. We need to keep going, everyone's happy when we're fighting for the playoffs and making a result in Montreal would be fantastic."

Montreal, meanwhile, are 12th in the Eastern Conference, just two points off a playoff place after picking up just one win in their last six outings.

Though they are unbeaten in four at home, they have struggled on the road, with goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois lamenting a disjointed forward display.

"Our forwards had a little bit more trouble finding each other and combining [against New York City FC]," Sirois said.

"I think there are days like that, and it's up to us, the whole team, to find solutions together, but unfortunately, we didn't do that.

"Yes, we created chances, but I think there were too few and that's why we didn't score."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

Sunusi Ibrahim has scored six goals for Montreal this season, more than anyone else in the team.

The Nigerian is without a goal in his last three games though, and after managing just one shot in the defeat to NYCFC last time out, he will be keen to regain his scoring touch.

Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld

Ryan Gauld may be Vancouver's joint-top scorer with nine goals this season (level with Brian White), but he turned provider on Wednesday against Minnesota.

He assisted all three goals as the Whitecaps secured another win, lifting him to the top of their assists chart with six for the season.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

There has not been much to split the sides across the last eight meetings, with Montreal and Vancouver winning four apiece. The Whitecaps came out on top when they last met in April 2023 with a 5-0 thrashing.

Montreal have won just one of their last six matches (drawing three and losing two). However, that victory was in their last home match as they beat the Philadelphia Union 4-1.

After back-to-back defeats, Vancouver have since won their last two on the bounce, scoring seven goals across those victories.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 38.4%

Draw – 26.5%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 35.1%

Laurent Courtois knows CF Montreal must improve defensively if they are to find any kind of consistency ahead of Wednesday's MLS visit to New York City.

Montreal sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points outside the wild-card playoff spots, after snapping a four-match winless run last time out.

They twice came from behind to beat the Philadelphia Union 4-2, and while Courtois was not pleased with their defensive display, he believes their attack can take them far. 

"There are a lot of aspects on the ball and defensively where we need to grow, but that's the beauty of this group," said Courtois. 

"The idea was not to play central too early and create those angles from width first, but that's something we were not able to do in the first half.

"We talked about how we wanted to change the direction of the match at half-time, so we made the necessary adjustments and were clinical. There is definitely some relief."

NYCFC also won a six-goal thriller last weekend, beating Orlando City 4-2 to maintain their pressure on the top four sides in the East.

Much like Courtois, head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to see his team taking the game to opponents but wants them to cut out the mistakes at the back.

"My initial thoughts are I don't know whether to laugh or cry," Cushing said. "MLS is super difficult, you're never out of a game. Comebacks happen in our league, crazy results happen.

"We'll look at that and find the areas where we need to develop. The positive things for us were, number one, the first half was one of the best we've played this season.

"Then number two, we closed it out. It shows the mentality of the team is to attack and not suffer and absorb pressure." 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New York City – Santiago Rodriguez 

Rodriguez has totalled 15 goal contributions in his first 20 matches this season (eight goals, seven assists). 

He is the sixth player in team history to reach that mark 20 or fewer appearances into a season, joining David Villa, Frank Lampard, Maximiliano Moralez, Heber and Valentín Castellanos.

CF Montreal – Bryce Duke

Duke scored just his second goal in MLS this season last time out, getting Montreal's second equaliser as they fought back to beat Philadelphia.

He has been his team's chief creator this term, his 29 chances created putting him 10 clear of his closest team-mate (Ruan with 10). 

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY WIN

New York have lost just two of their 19 all-time meetings with Montreal (12 wins, five draws, including playoffs) including winning five of the last six meetings.

They could be set for more joy here, having won six of their last eight matches on home turf (two defeats). Only Los Angeles FC (seven) have won more home games in MLS since the start of April.

Montreal, meanwhile, have won just three of their last 17 regular-season games. They enter this match as outsiders.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New York City – 54.9%

CF Montreal – 21.9%

Draw – 23.2%

Jim Curtin has said he will take the full burden of Philadelphia Union's poor recent form as they look to bounce back against fellow strugglers Montreal this Sunday. 

The Union are without a win in their last six MLS fixtures, with their latest defeat coming at the hands of Charlotte FC in front of their home supporters last time out. 

Curtin's side have managed just 20 points in their 19 league games after recording at least 32 at this stage in four of the previous five seasons.

And the Philadelphia head coach acknowledged his side's struggles in recent weeks, but highlighted the injuries within his squad as a major factor in their winless streak. 

"The fingers are pointed at me first, and I accept that, and I take the responsibility for the current run that we are on," Curtin said.

"It hurts, but I still think the players are trying and giving everything that they can, but at the moment it is just not enough. 

"We know that we're missing five to six key guys, and it hurts right now, and it's tough for us to catch a break and score a goal to make a play that changes the game."

Meanwhile, Montreal are enduring a losing streak of their own and are without a triumph since their 4-2 win over DC United back in May. 

Laurent Courtois' side were beaten 4-1 by Colorado Rapids in their last MLS fixture, leaving them a point above bottom side Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference. 

L'Impact face a tough test should they want to return to winning ways this Sunday, having won one of their last nine meetings with the Union (D4 L4) dating back to October 2020. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Montreal – Josef Martínez

Martinez has scored eight career goals against the Union in all competitions, having only scored more against Orlando (9). 

However, Curtin’s side have managed to keep the Venezuelan at bay in recent meetings, having shut the striker out in each of the last four league meetings, with his last league goal against them coming back in 2019.

Philadelphia – Tai Baribo

In the absence of top scorer Julian Carranzo (10) and Daniel Gazdag (10), Baribo has the opportunity to take centre stage for the Union against Montreal.

The Israeli scored his first two goals for the club on his first start in their 4-3 defeat to Cincinnati, and will be looking to rediscover his goal-scoring touch at the Stade Saputo.

MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA WIN

The Union come into the encounter as marginal favourites despite their six-game winless streak, but their impressive record against their opponents will give them some much-needed confidence.

Philadelphia have lost just one of their last nine meetings with Montreal (W4 D4), but that defeat came in the last meeting between the two sides, losing 3-2 back in March 2023.

Montreal have won just one of their last 14 matches in all competitions (D7 L6) dating back to mid-April. They are one of three MLS teams, along with the Union and St. Louis City SC, with only one victory in all competitions in that time.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Montreal – 35.3%

Draw – 26%

Philadelphia – 38.7%

Chris Armas has full faith in the depth of his Colorado Rapids squad as he ponders potential changes ahead of Saturday's clash with CF Montreal in MLS.

The Rapids are enjoying an impressive campaign and currently sit fifth in the Western Conference standings, nine points adrift of leaders Real Salt Lake.

They thrashed St. Louis City 3-0 on the road on Wednesday after overcoming Austin FC last weekend, and at the end of a busy week, Armas will likely make some changes.

"We'll take a hard look and think about fresh legs and then tactically what makes the most sense, but I have a lot of confidence in our roster," Armas said.

"I have a lot of confidence in the depth, confidence in players' abilities to suffer and increase the comfort zones to suffer and to endure a little bit more physically. 

"It's a difficult part of any coach's job. Only 11 guys can start and you only use a finite amount to divvy out. We'll take a close look, but again, I have a lot of confidence. 

"We have really strong internal competition that's driving the team forward and then I can take the tough decisions, but that's my job."

Montreal, meanwhile, sit 12th in the Eastern Conference after being pegged back in a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls last time out.

Midfielder Bryce Duke believes adjusting to the altitude in Denver will be a major test for them next time out, saying: "Getting here two days before the game helps us with our preparation. 

"It gives us an extra day of practice in these conditions. Our staff is working on a gameplan to help us acclimate to the altitude."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic 

Mihailovic secured the first hat-trick of his career against St. Louis City on Wednesday, becoming the third Rapids player with a treble in a road game in any MLS competition and the first to do so since 2009, joining Conor Casey (twice) and Jeff Cunningham.

CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim 

Ibrahim scored the opening goal in Montreal's draw against the Red Bulls on Wednesday, his 12th goal in MLS play, all before turning 22 years old. 

That is double the number of regular-season goals scored by any other player before turning 22 in Montreal's MLS history (six by Orji Okwonkwo).

MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN

This will be the first meeting between the Rapids and Montreal since a 6-3 home win for Colorado in August 2019. Those six goals are the most Colorado have ever scored in a match.

While it may not be as convincing as that win, Colorado are fancied for another victory here.

They have won each of their last two games to nil. The last time the Rapids had consecutive shutout victories was in March 2022, and the last time they won three straight with shutouts was in August 2007.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Colorado Rapids – 45.3%

CF Montreal – 27.8%

Draw – 26.9%

New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz insisted he is not worried about his side's lack of firepower as they travel to the Stade Saputo on Thursday.

The Red Bull Army failed to find the back of the net in their encounter against Nashville last time out, registering 14 shots with only six on target in front of their home supporters.

Schwarz's side sit third in the Eastern Conference table, six points behind second-placed FC Cincinnati, but are hopeful of closing the gap with a win over their opponents.

The Red Bulls head coach has said he will pass on his own experiences he went through as a player to try and combat their recent struggles in front of goal, but is confident his side can create those moments against Montreal.  

"I am not worried about that," Schwarz said. "The only way, and this is my experience as a player and as a head coach, is to create every time in the next situation and to try it again in the next situation.

"To come into the box position, this is what we have to do. I am sure, and I think this season we have scored a lot of goals, but against Nashville it was 0-0.

"It is good that if you don’t score it is not necessary you didn’t concede a goal. Now, we have to create these moments against Montreal on Wednesday."

Meanwhile, Montreal played out the same scoreline in their encounter with Real Salt Lake last time out but remained in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.

Laurent Courtois' side are now unbeaten in their last four matches (W1 D3) in all competitions for the first time since a six-match winning streak between April and May last year.

Montreal had lost five of its previous six games (D1) and will be looking to continue their recent momentum in front of their home supporters.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Montreal – Joaquin Sosa

Sosa won five of the nine tackles he attempted against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, which is the most tackles won in a match by a CF Montreal player this season.

Sosa had won just 10 tackles in his first nine appearances for the club.

New York Red Bulls – Elias Manoel

With top scorer Lewis Morgan away with Scotland at Euro 2024, and Emil Forsberg out with a foot injury, it offers the chance for Elias Manoel to take centre stage.

The Brazilian has scored three goals in 17 appearances this season, with his last coming in May against DC United.

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN

It looks set to be a tightly contested affair at the Stade Saputo on Thursday, but NYRB should have enough to edge the contest away from home.

The Red Bulls' defensive rearguard was a big positive from their goalless draw with Nashville, not allowing their opponents a shot on target – the fourth time they have managed this since 2022.

Schwarz's side reached the 30-point mark on Sunday with their draw at home to Nashville, reaching that total in fewer games just twice in the club's history, which came in the 2012 and 2018 campaigns, taking just 16 games to achieve.

The two sides have alternated wins over the last eight meetings, with New York winning the last match 2-1 in May 2023. None of the last 17 regular-season meetings between the sides have ended in a draw.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Montreal – 31.6%

Draw – 25.3%

NYRB – 43.1%

CF Montreal have used their recent MLS bye week to get some injured players back to fitness, says coach Laurent Courtois.

Montreal were not in action last weekend, but kick-start the second half of their 2024 campaign against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

And Courtois revealed that the break enabled Montreal to get three strikers, who had all been injured, healthy.

Josef Martinez, Matias Coccaro and Kwadwo Opoku are now back in the fold after lay-offs, as are Mason Toye and Lassi Lappalainen.

“A big part of it was to get people healthy and to fix a little bit the morale of the troops,” Courtois said of the break. “In that sense, these past two weeks have been really beneficial.

"Having all the people together brings a whole different dynamic. Everybody wants to win his spot.”

Not that Montreal went into the break in poor form. They are unbeaten in three games, having drawn with the Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC either side of beating D.C. United 4-2.

They sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, though going up against RSL presents a stern test.

Salt Lake are top of the Western Conference with 33 points from their 17 matches. They are unbeaten in 13 games in MLS.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

Sunusi Ibrahim’s goal after 49 seconds on June 1 was the sixth first-minute goal Montreal have scored in MLS play. No team have scored more goals in the opening minute of matches since Montreal joined the league in 2012.

Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango

Arango’s 16 goals and 10 assists for the season leave him one goal away from equalling Alvaro Saborio’s single-season club goals record of 17 set in 2012 and one goal contribution away from equalling Jeff Cunningham’s single-season record of 27 set in 2006.

MATCH PREDICTION: RSL WIN

RSL are on the second-longest single-season unbeaten run in club history (after going 14 straight games without defeat in 2010). The last team to go more than 13 straight games without defeat in a single regular season was the Portland Timbers (15) in 2018.

Montreal, though, are unbeaten in three straight matches (W1 D2) following a four-match regular-season losing streak. Montreal have not gone unbeaten in four straight league matches in over a year, since winning four straight games in April-May last season.

RSL recorded a 2-1 win at Montreal in the last meeting between the sides in May 2022. It was the first away win in the nine all-time meetings between the sides.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Montreal – 30.1%

RSL – 45.1%

Draw – 24.9%

Jim Curtin believes maintaining an organised, coordinated press will be key for the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, when they take on CF Montreal at Subaru Park.

The Union sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, five places but just three points clear of Montreal, after playing out a goalless draw with Toronto FC in midweek.

Philadelphia have only won one of their last nine MLS matches but have taken five points from their last three (one win, two draws), while keeping three straight clean sheets.

Curtin feels picking their moments to strike is the way to go against Laurent Courtois' team, saying: "We expect a really tough test against Montreal. You can tell they're well-coached, they're well-drilled in the way that they try to pass out of the back.

"They have some really intricate movements within their group. They're brave home and away in the way they try and play. 

"We'll have to do a good job of being organised, and try to turn them over as close to their goal as possible, and create chances."

Montreal ended a run of seven league games without a victory (three draws, four losses) by beating D.C. United 4-2 last time out, with Ariel Lassiter among the scorers.

Lassiter hopes that result can be a turning point in their season, saying: "Winning changes everything, winning changes the outlook of the locker room and the mentality.

"It's the victory, the three points that we need to go into Philadelphia to get points there, and then to finish for the international break on a high."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag

The Union have failed to score in back-to-back MLS matches for the first time since April 2023. They have not gone three straight MLS matches (including playoffs) without finding the net in over a decade, last doing so in September 2013.

His team's leading scorer with nine goals in 14 league games this term, Gazdag will look to end their barren run.

CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim 

Ibrahim scored a brace off the bench for Montreal on Wednesday, becoming just the third player in club history to score multiple goals off the bench in an MLS match.

He was the first Montreal player to achieve the feat since Ahmed Hamdi in July 2021.

MATCH PREDICTION – PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN

The Union have won only one of their last nine matches (four draws, four losses) following their scoreless draw with Toronto on Wednesday. 

Philadelphia's seven points during this time is their fewest in a nine-match span in a single season since they took seven points from nine games between March and May 2017.

However, they have only lost one of their last eight games against Montreal (four wins, three draws), who were winless in nine across all competitions before their midweek victory. Home advantage makes them favourites.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Philadelphia Union – 58.5%

CF Montreal – 19.9%

Draw – 21.6%

Laurent Courtois was pleased to see CF Montreal "stop the bleeding" with Saturday's goalless draw against Nashville SC, but he knows more is needed when they host D.C. United on Wednesday. 

Montreal are winless in their last nine matches across all competitions (four draws, five losses) and sit 13th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.

They did at least snap a four-game losing streak with that stalemate, and Courtois wants them to use that result as a platform.

"I heard a couple of guys talking about 'stopping the bleeding' and I hate it, but it's the reality of the moment," said Courtois.

"We're happy in the sense that we were able to get back to our standards of commitment and competitiveness, but we know that we need more at home, so we have to get back to work."

D.C. were also held to a draw last time out as their own winless run stretched to three matches, being pegged back in a 1-1 home tie with the Chicago Fire.

Coach Troy Lesesne was less than pleased with his team's performance in that match, saying: "In the end, we were fortunate to get a point out of that, and that's not good enough.

"Maybe there wasn't enough service. I think it was to do with how we went out. 

"In the first half you could see our identity by the way we went out, but you could not see that in the second half." 

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

CF Montreal – Josef Martinez

Martinez has scored eight regular-season goals against D.C. United, equalling the most he has scored against any opponent in his MLS career (also eight versus the New England Revolution and Orlando City).

D.C. United – Christian Benteke

D.C. have won 347 aerial duels this season, over 100 more than any other MLS team and almost three times as many as Montreal. 

Montreal have won 122 aerial duels this year, the second-fewest in MLS and 42 fewer than Benteke alone (164).

MATCH PREDICTION – CF MONTREAL WIN

D.C. have won two straight matches against Montreal in all competitions, but the only three-game winning streak achieved by either team against the other came in 2016-17 (three victories for Montreal).

Montreal's nine-match winless run is their joint-longest across all competitions since they joined MLS in 2012 (also nine in 2013-14).

However, D.C. have failed to win any of their last three matches (one draw, two losses) and have only won one of their last 13 on the road (seven draws, five defeats).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 46.9%

D.C. United – 25.7%

Draw – 27.4% 

Nashville SC interim head coach Rumbani Munthali aims to get a more recognizable look about the team as he prepares for his second game in charge against CF Montreal.

Gary Smith, who led Nashville for seven years, made a shock exit following their 2-0 win over Toronto FC on May 16, with Munthali stepping up from player development coach to take his place.

Nashville’s first game under him ended in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta United on Saturday, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.

With little time to put his stamp on the team, Munthali believes being able to welcome back injured players will help to get them back on track.

"I think as you see players come back into the team [from injury], you see that we're starting to be a little more recognizable as a team that went on a 10-game undefeated streak last season," Munthali said. 

"What I would hope is you get a team that represents what the club is: hard-working, forward-thinking and positive, and I hope that's a team we can put onto the field that will compete from start to finish.

"I think those are the cornerstones of who we are as a club."

Montreal are on a four-game losing streak that started with a 4-1 defeat to Nashville, and head coach Laurent Courtois accepts they need to do more to get back to winning ways.

"Doing my 'job' is not enough. We have to be ready to offer a little 'extra' and help each other out. For the moment, in fits and starts, I have the impression that we are just doing our job.

"Now, we are doing our mea culpa, we are coming back to things that we thought we had figured out."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

In the absence of top-scorer Matias Coccaro, Ibrahim netted Montreal’s lone goal in their defeat to Toronto last week. Montreal have scored in all four games during their current losing run, with the Nigerian extending that run.

Nashville – Hany Mukhtar

Mukhtar attempted five shots, including scoring Nashville’s lone goal from the penalty spot, against Atlanta United on Saturday, taking him to 404 career shot attempts in regular-season MLS play. No other player has attempted 300 shots since Mukhtar joined the league in 2020.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Montreal’s lone win in eight all-time meetings with Nashville SC came in their last home match against them, a 1-0 win in June 2023. Nashville has won five of the other seven meetings (D2), including a 4-1 victory on May 4.

However, Nashville have won only one of their last 15 MLS away matches (D5 L9 incl. playoffs) dating back to early June 2023. Nashville scored three goals in the lone win in that time (3-0 at Kansas City) but have totaled just five goals in the other 14 matches.

Meanwhile, Montreal have lost four straight matches within a single regular season for the first time since September 2020. They haven’t lost five in a row in a single regular season since a five-match losing run to end the 2017 campaign.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Montreal – 39%

Draw – 27.8%

Nashville – 33.2%

Laurent Courtois has accepted that it is on him to find a winning formula as CF Montreal look to snap their winless run against Toronto FC.

Montreal were beaten 3-1 by Columbus Crew in midweek and are now without a victory in six games in all competitions.

That includes a three-game losing streak in MLS, leaving them 13th in the Eastern Conference, and Courtois is eager to get back on track.

"It's up to me to find the winning formulas and discern the phases of the game," head coach Courtois said after the loss to Columbus.

"We have to grit our teeth and find solutions. The difficult times we are going through help me identify my group. I want to know the players better. 

"From all the negative aspects we can observe, I can identify a few individual aspects to improve the game or the team itself."

Monreal's rivals Toronto have themselves lost back-to-back games ahead of Saturday's Canadian Classique at BMO Field.

Nashville SC scored twice late on to snatch a 2-0 win in the Reds' most recent match, but acting head coach Jason deVos admits there can be no excuses.

"The last ten minutes, two mistakes cost us and that's the cruelty of football sometimes - that it's a 90-minute match and you need to put in a 90-minute performance in," he said. 

"The players are aware of that. They know where the growth areas are for us as a team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto - Federico Bernardeschi

Bernardeschi missed the loss to Nashville but will hope to start this weekend in a fixture he has fond memories of. 

The Italian has scored in each of his two home games against Montreal, making him the third Toronto player to score in two successive home games against them after Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley.

Montreal - Joel Waterman

Montreal have conceded three or more goals five times across their 12 MLS games this season, which is tied with San Jose Earthquakes for the most in MLS.

They quite simply need to sharpen up at the back, with Joel Waterman needing to step up and hope others around him also do so.. The centre-back led the way for interceptions (three) and clearances (four) against Columbus, yet it was still not enough.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Montreal have won five successive matches against Toronto, following a run of neither side ever winning more than three on the spin in this fixture.

Toronto have won seven and drawn one of their eight matches in which they have held opponents under two goals since September, while they have lost all 13 in which they have shipped two or more.

Keeping the opposition quiet is therefore key, and this could present a chance to do just that against a Montreal side with fewer points (five) than any side in MLS since mid-March.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto - 39.6%
Draw - 28.5%
Montreal - 31.9%

Wilfried Nancy says the Columbus Crew will use their next three road games in MLS to prepare for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final, starting with Wednesday's trip to CF Montreal.

MLS Cup holders Columbus will face Mexican side Pachuca in the Champions Cup final on June 1, having seen off Monterrey in the semi-finals earlier this month.

Before then, they face visits to Nancy's former employers Montreal, as well as the Chicago Fire and Orlando, in MLS. Last Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to FC Cincinnati left the Crew eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Asked about the challenges presented by their road stretch, Nancy said: "It's exciting. We'll play many games, we'll face different kinds of teams. 

"We want to challenge ourselves. We want to get better and find ways to have good performances. We have this spirit.

"This is the spirit of my team, the spirit of wanting to do well. We'll play Montreal, then Chicago and Orlando, then we play the final. Three games to prepare the final. This is the way we see it."

Montreal are just three points behind Columbus, having seen a 2-0 lead evaporate in their 3-2 defeat to Inter Miami last time out.

Despite the loss, midfielder Bryce Duke was encouraged by the way Montreal kept Lionel Messi quiet, saying: "We need to keep going in this direction and get results. 

"It's going to be a tough month ahead. It will be important to recover and be ready for Wednesday.

"It's a great achievement to contain Messi, now the aim will be to keep the lead next time and play the full 90 minutes."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

CF Montreal – Jules-Anthony Vilsaint

Vilsaint recorded a goal and an assist against Miami, his second MLS game with one of each, with the other coming versus Columbus last September. 

The only Canadian with more such games than Vilsaint for Montreal in MLS is Patrice Bernier, with five.

Columbus Crew – Max Arfsten 

Arfsten scored what proved to be a late consolation off the bench against Cincinnati, his third career goal as a substitute in MLS (including playoffs).

Only three players have more goals off the bench in MLS play since the beginning of last season – Duncan McGuire with six, Josef Martinez with five and Tyler Wolff with four.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Columbus are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Montreal, including a scoreless draw when the sides met in April.

The Crew's longest ever unbeaten run against Montreal is five matches, their last streak of that length being recorded between 2016 and 2018.

They had their nine-game unbeaten streak across all competitions snapped by Cincinnati last time out, though seven of those matches had finished level. Montreal tend to be solid at home, so another draw could be on the cards.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 36.8%

Columbus Crew – 34.7%

Draw – 28.5%

Lionel Messi was left frustrated by being kept on the sidelines after an injury scare in Saturday's win over CF Montreal, with Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino calling for a revision of MLS rulings.

The former Barcelona superstar was visibly furious after being forced off temporarily from a George Campbell foul, with the Miami forward missing a chance to take a presentable free-kick opportunity.

New MLS regulations state players must leave the pitch for two minutes if the referee stops play due to a potential injury that leaves them on the ground for over 15 seconds.

Following the 3-2 triumph over Montreal, Martino questioned the ruling and suggested it punished the wrong party.

"There are situations that must be revised," the Herons boss said.

"In Leo's situation, he was clearly fouled. The player deserved a yellow card, which would mean Messi would've never left the field for two minutes.

"As I understand it, the team that suffered the foul was punished. With these new rule changes, some situations must be revised.

"The infraction was clear and was a yellow card, and ultimately it was us that lost Leo for two minutes."

Miami were left further aggrieved despite making it five straight wins to move three points clear at the Eastern Conference summit.

Luis Suarez failed to leave the pitch in under 10 seconds when replaced by Leo Campana in the 92nd minute, with new MLS regulations meaning the fourth official delayed the substitution for another minute.

"In the case of Suarez, we had a very important difference with the fourth referee in respect to the minute," Martino added.

"We thought Suarez exited the pitch in under a minute, he did not see it that way and so Leo Campana's entry to the game was delayed."