San Jose Earthquakes will be hoping to earn their first victory in six matches when they welcome Real Salt Lake to PayPal Park on Saturday evening in MLS.
The hosts have struggled since returning from the Leagues Cup break and have a fight on their hands in order to stay in the playoffs, while Salt Lake recorded a much-needed maximum last time out.
Match preview
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San Jose's winless run in MLS extended to four matches last weekend as they played out a goalless draw with Wayne Rooney's DC United at Audi Field in Washington.
Despite having the majority of possession, the visiting Quakes managed just two shots on target and have now collected just five MLS points since losing to Tigres in the Leagues Cup on July 31.
Luchi Gonzalez's men are currently eighth in the Western Conference standings having earned 37 points from 28 matches, and with 10th-placed Austin FC just four points behind, the Quakes know a positive close to the regular season is imperative to secure a top-nine finish.
San Jose have been very impressive on home soil in 2023, winning seven of their 14 league encounters at PayPal Park, with only St Louis City, Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles FC managing to earn more points in front of their respective home faithful.
Cristian Espinoza is enjoying his best-goalscoring campaign in the United States since joining from Boca Juniors in early 2019 - the Argentinian has netted 12 goals in 28 MLS appearances so far for the Quakes.
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Real Salt Lake put an end to a worrying run of four straight defeats in all competitions with a comfortable 2-0 success over the Western Conference's bottom side Colorado Rapids at America First Field last weekend.
Brayan Vera put Salt Lake in pole position for a first maximum since July after netting in the 19th minute, and Colombian striker Cristian Arango got on the scoresheet in the second period to hand Robin Fraser a loss in what turned out to be his final match as Rapids coach.
Pablo Mastroeni's men are lying in fourth place in the Western Conference table with seven matches left to play of the regular season, and despite having a seven-point buffer to 10th place, there is still work to be done for Saturday's visitors.
Surprisingly, the Claret and Cobalt have fared better on their travels compared to in front of their own supporters in the 2023 MLS campaign, with 21 of their 40 points coming away from their Utah home.
After scraping into the playoffs in 2022 by finishing one point ahead of eighth-placed Portland Timbers, Salt Lake fans will be praying that their side can avoid a nervy end and secure their top-nine status sooner rather than later.
Team News
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San Jose will be without the services of centre-back Tanner Beason for the visit of Salt Lake on Saturday, with the 26-year-old serving a one-match suspension for the red card he picked up in the latter stages of the draw at DC United last weekend.
That absence will pave the way for either Tommy Thompson or Michael Baldisimo to join the back three for the hosts - we are expecting the former to slot in alongside Daniel Munie and Brazilian Rodrigues.
Gonzalez's men continue to be low on engine-room options due to the abdominal injury suffered by Judson, with the 30-year-old not expected back in action until later this month.
Salt Lake also have some absences in the middle of the park, with former Argentina youth international Pablo Ruiz sidelined due to a knee injury.
Erik Holt's injury-riddled career for the Claret and Cobalt took another negative turn in August as he sustained a shoulder injury - the 27-year-old has not featured for the visitors since the 3-2 win at Colorado on May 21.
Mastroeni is expected to name an unchanged side from the one which easily beat the Rapids last time out, meaning goalscorer Arango will partner Croatian Damir Kreilach in a menacing-looking forward line.
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Daniel; Munie, Thompson, Rodrigues; Akapo, Tsakiris, Yueill, Marie, Monteiro; Ebobisse, Espinoza
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Brody, Glad, Vera, Oviedo; Ramirez, Ojeda, Palacio, Savarino; Arango, Kreilach
We say: San Jose Earthquakes 0-1 Real Salt Lake
San Jose need to start picking up regular wins to secure their place in the playoffs, but recent form suggests they are set to struggle on Saturday evening.
Salt Lake will be feeling better about themselves after beating basement dwellers Colorado last time out, and we are expecting Mastroeni's side to make it back-to-back wins this weekend.
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Top tip
Carter White
