MLS preview June 3rd

A total of 3 games to be played today in the MLS. First up sees New York City FC take on Philadelphia Union at the Yankee stadium.

Union have been on a good run of form up until last week when they saw there 4 game win streak Come to an end. New York come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw in a game they definitely should have won with the amount of chances they had.

The last time these 2 teams met, we were all treated to a bit of David Villa magic. For those who don't remember watch this.

New York City FC
The Citizens have won just once in their last five following Wednesday night's disappointing 2-2 draw against visiting New England. It was a game they certainly had enough chances to win, but also one in which the typically flowing and inventive NYCFC back-to-front chance creation was only seldom on display.

That's been the case quite often lately as injury and international call-ups have taken their toll, as well as a fairly full schedule of games. NYCFC are now just 1-2-2 in their last five outings after coming off a three-wins-in-four stretch, and dropping more home points to a conference foe is definitely not in Patrick Vieira's plans.

Suspended: None
Int’l Duty: M Yangel Herrera (Venezuela U-20s), M Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica)
Injury Report: OUT – F Khiry Shelton (Hamstring), M Andrea Pirlo (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE – D Ronald Matarrita (high ankle sprain)
Projected Starting XI (4-3-3): GK: Sean Johnson – Ethan White, Maxime Chanot, Alexander Callens, Ben Sweat – Alex Ring, Maxi Moralez, Mikey Lopez – Jack Harrison, David Villa, Tommy McNamara

Philadelphia Union
The Union saw their franchise-best four-game winning streak come to an end last weekend at Real Salt Lake, as the varied and potent attack they'd ridden back into the playoff picture finally abandoned them for a bit in a 1-0 loss. While they were able to generate 13 shots, they managed to put just four on target and couldn't break RSL's backline down.

Still, things are better now than most figured they would be for the Union, who started off the season so abysmally. They've built their 4-2-3-1 around CJ Sapong at center forward and a pair of attack-minded wingers in Chris Pontius and Fafa Picault, and the backline has held firm ever since the mid-April adjustments made by Jim Curtin.

A point here against a conference foe would be as good as gold, especially with a three-game homestand coming up.

Suspended: None
Int’l Duty: M Alejandro Bedoya (US national team); Derrick Jones (US U-20s)
Injury Report: OUT: M - Maurice Edu (left ankle/left tibia surgery recovery), M - Brian Carroll (lumbar disc herniation), F - Fabian Herbers (right adductor partial avulsion); QUESTIONABLE: D - Joshua Yaro (shoulder surgery)
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK: Andre Blake — Raymon Gaddis, Jack Elliott, Oguchi Onyewu, Fabinho — Haris Medunjanin, Warren Creavalle — Chris Pontius, Ilsinho, Fafa Picault — CJ Sapong

Next up we have the game between Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United. Both teams have been on a bit of a tipsy turby season and can't seem to get any consistency into there season.

Sporting Kansas City
Sporting KC will have plenty of motivation on Saturday, they just won’t have too many bodies. SKC’s roster is currently decimated by injuries, international call-ups and suspension, leaving open the possibility that Vermes won’t even be able to field a full 18-man gameday roster this weekend.

A few of the absences will be critical, too. Defenders Matt Besler and Graham Zusi are both gone with the US national team (Update: Bruce Arena has allowed Besler to return to Kansas City for Saturday's match), central midfielder Roger Espinoza is out due to a red card suspension and forward Dom Dwyer is questionable with an injury. How Sporting cope without at least three, and potentially four, of their most important players will obviously play a huge role in determining Saturday’s result. We’ll see if Benny Feilhaber, Gerso Fernandes, Ike Opara and Tim Melia have enough juice to avenge SKC’s May 7 defeat at Minnesota.

Suspended: Roger Espinoza (red card)
Int’l duty: Matt Besler (US), Erik Palmer-Brown (US Under-20s), Graham Zusi (US)
Injury report: OUT – F Diego Rubio (torn ACL), D Kevin Ellis (quad strain); QUESTIONABLE – F Dom Dwyer (knee injury)
Projected Starting Lineup (4-3-3): Tim Melia – Saad Abdul-Salaam, Ike Opara, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic – Ilie Sanchez, Benny Feilhaber, Soni Mustivar – Jimmy Medranda, Latif Blessing, Gerso Fernandes

Minnesota United FC
While Sporting have lost two in a row and will be at far less than full-strength on Saturday, they will be far from an easy out for Minnesota.

Like just about every expansion team, the Loons have struggled mightily on the road this season, posting a 0-4-2 mark in their six away matches in MLS play. That doesn’t exactly bode well for their trip to SKC, who are an unbeaten 5-0-1 at home this year and have outscored their opponents by a massive 13-2 margin at Children’s Mercy Park.

Minnesota will also be without a few of their more important players, as well. Francisco Calvo and Johan Venegas have left for the Costa Rican national team, while Sam Cronin will miss Saturday’s game due to suspension. He’s been a midfield linchpin since being acquired from Colorado earlier this season, helping particularly with Minnesota’s defensive shape and balance. How likely replacement Collen Warner fares against Feilhaber and Co. will be key for the Loons’ chances this weekend.

Suspended: Sam Cronin (Disciplinary Committee decision)
Int’l duty: Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica), Johan Venegas (Costa Rica)
Injury report: OUT – M Bernardo Anor (left leg injury), M/D Thomas de Villardi (Achilles), F Abu Danladi (groin)
Projected Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bobby Shuttleworth – Jerome Thiesson, Brent Kallman, Jermaine Taylor, Marc Burch – Collen Warner, Ibson – Miguel Ibarra, Kevin Molino, Ish Jome – Christian Ramirez

The final game for today brings us Vancouver Whitecaps playing Atlanta United. Vancouver have the best recent form between the two teams and will look to seal victory at home tonight.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
The Whitecaps' up-and-down season continued last week against D.C. United, as they dropped all three points at home to the Eastern Conference bottom-feeders. There were obviously some extenuating circumstances, but it's obvious that the team would have liked to continue their good vibes after winning three of their previous four games.

Vancouver's bad spell continued on Tuesday night, when they fell to the Montreal Impact in the Canadian Championship semifinals. It should be noted that one player missing from both of these games was defensive midfielder Matias Laba. The Argentine missed the D.C. match due to yellow card accumulation, and the numbers with him missing speak for themselves.

Since Laba joined the team prior to the 2014 season, they have one just one of the 11 MLS games they've started without him and averaged just .5 points per game. In the 103 games he has started, they have won 41 percent of their games and averaged 1.5 points. Expect Laba to be in his regular spot in the midfield against Atlanta, he should have his hands full with Almiron and co.

Suspended: None
Int’l Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT – D Brett Levis (ACL tear), M Yordy Reyna (foot surgery), D David Edgar (PCL, MCL tear), F Erik Hurtado (left foot contusion), D Christian Dean (foot injury), M Nicolas Mezquida (right high ankle sprain);QUESTIONABLE – F Bernie Ibini (right hamstring strain)
Projected Starting XI (4-1-4-1): GK: David Ousted – Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey – Matias Laba – Cristian Techera, Tony Tchani, Andrew Jacobson, Christian Bolaños – Fredy Montero

Notes: Kendall Waston has won 81 percent of the aerial duels he has taken part in, the third-highest percentage of any defender with at least 20 aerials.

Atlanta United
Gressel has been successful despite being forced to play multiple positions under Martino. He started the season playing in central midfield, roaming box-to-box in front of Carlos Carmona or Jeff Larentowicz and behind Almiron. With Martinez going down with a quad injury, which he could return from this week, Gressel was pushed higher up the field into an attacking midfield role. Lately Gressel has found himself on the right wing.

“It’s more of what the coach wants me to do in the different roles. My roles have changed three or four times now. I’ve gotten good instruction from our coaching staff," said Gressel after Atlanta's 3-1 win vs. NYCFC. "They help me get accustomed to that new position quickly so that I know what they want from me at those positions. I think I am a versatile player coming in. I knew that I was going to get moved around a little bit. I just have to take it on. I don’t see it as negative. That’s probably a big thing as well, just do your job and play well."

Talking specifically about his role on the wing, Gressel said, "It gives me a chance to get in more dangerous spots sometimes or a lot more often I would say."

With Martinez set to return soon, Gressel's spot could change again as Villalba will likely be pushed back out to the wing. Wherever he goes it's clear that the rookie has earned his spot in the starting lineup.

Suspended: None
Int’l Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT – F Jacob Peterson (right lower leg injury); QUESTIONABLE – F Josef Martinez (left quad injury)
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK: Alec Kann — Tyrone Mears, Michael Parkhurst, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Greg Garza — Carlos Carmona, Jeff Larentowicz — Julian Gressel, Miguel Almiron, Yamil Asad — Hector Villalba

Notes: Miguel Almirón has five goals in his last two games for Atlanta United. He scored twice in his first 10 appearances for the club...Alec Kann is averaging 3.9 saves per away game this season, the third-highest of any keeper with multiple starts on the road.

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