New York City FC travel across the Hudson River to take on the Red Bulls on Saturday.
Kickoff at Red Bull Arena is scheduled for 7:30PM ET.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford...
Tactics
Sandro Schwarz is in the midst of his first full season in MLS after joining the Red Bulls in the off-season.
The German coach has been largely consistent with his tactical approach in 2024, opting to use a 4-4-2 system with two holding central midfielders, which is sometimes referred to as an ‘empty bucket midfield’.
Schwarz’s tactical ideas run parallel to that of the Red Bulls but with some small tweaks. The Red Bulls have become slightly more comfortable having possession, which is shown in the stats for 2024.
The Red Bulls have already attempted more passes in 2024 than they did in the whole of the 2023 season. That shift has seen the Red Bulls go from the second-lowest in the league for passes attempted to the sixth-lowest.
While not a huge jump, it reinforces the consistency with which the team plays compared to last year, and that could be seen when the two sides met at Citi Field earlier in the season.
We are yet to see what Schwarz’s approach is for a home derby game, and whether he may tweak things further, making for an intriguing tactical battle in Harrison on Saturday.
Squeeze
While a derby game presents the opportunity for one side to claim bragging rights over their local rival, the impact of three points should not be overstated on Saturday.
Eight points separate the Red Bulls in 4th and Philadelphia Union in 9th place. The race to the postseason is in full flow, meaning every point matters during the run-in.
A three-game week will only intensify the opportunity for a shuffling of the pack, with both teams no doubt desperate to start on the right foot with a victory. City know a win and a combination of results elsewhere could seal their spot in the post-season.
Derby Day
This will be the 25th meeting between the two sides in MLS, and the 29th in all competitions.
In MLS, the Red Bulls have 11 wins to City’s nine, with four draws being played out between the two teams during their almost decade-long rivalry.
City claimed four points from their last two derby matchups against the Red Bulls, with Mounsef Bakrar pushing City to a 2-1 win when the two sides met back in May. City’s last win at Red Bull Arena came in 2022 when Valetin Castellanos’ brilliant volley gave the Boys in Blue a 1-0 win.
The chance to make more good memories in Harrison will be a huge motivation for City – with 2022 also the last time City did a league double over their great rivals.
