New York City Football Club welcome New England Revolution to Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
The Boys in Blue entertain Bruce Arena’s side in a 3:30pm ET kick-off in The Bronx, looking to return to winning ways.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford…
Bounce Back
Third time lucky? After two tough results on home soil this week, Saturday’s clash presents the opportunity for the Boys in Blue to pull together in solidarity to protect our home turf, and complete this three-game home stand on a high.
Successive defeats on our own patch have been tough for the team to take, but the squad can use their frustration as motivation to grind out a positive result to build upon, as James Sands asserted after FC Cincinnati’s visit.
“It is clearly frustrating for everyone,” he said. “We worked very hard during the week, we have a good game plan, and when things start to go against you, it seems like they are always going against you.
“It is easy to lose focus and discipline a little bit, and deviate from the plan when you are losing, but it is important, especially for this team, for a young group of guys that we stick together.
“We are still not even halfway through the season, so it is a rough stretch, but it doesn’t take much to make playoffs in this league, so we need to use these experiences to be ready for the end of this season.”
Rev Up
This weekend’s meeting will be the 25th between NYCFC and New England Revolution, and it’s safe to say the two sides are very familiar foe.
The pair have already locked horns in 2023, playing out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Gillette Stadium in April with Talles Magno on the scoresheet late on for the Boys in Blue, after Carles Gil had opened the scoring.
The City Boys had traveled to the Eastern Conference leaders in that fixture, but a mixed May saw the Massachusetts outfit slip away.
Bruce Arena’s side have provided plenty of entertainment over the past few games with successive six-goal thrillers, contesting a second topsy-turvy 3-3 draw in four days last time out against Atlanta United. Revolution have conceded three times in each of their last three matches – and New York will hope to capitalize in a bid to add to that tally on Saturday.
Of the previous 24 encounters, City have won eight and drawn six, and will take encouragement from the fact we have triumphed in our last three home games against the Revs in all competitions, including a 4-2 victory last July – Cushing’s first win at the helm.
Team News
NYCFC will certainly be wary of Carles Gil’s threat – and not only from his strike against the Boys in Blue earlier this season.
The Spaniard has five goals and five assists to his name in 14 appearances, and leads the way in his side’s goalscoring attempts (28), shots on target (13), and attacking assists (32).
The midfielder bagged a brace at the weekend, scoring in the first and last minute in Georgia, to earn the MLS Player of the Matchday award. Speaking ahead of the game, Cushing highlighted the 30-year-old as the dangerman to watch.
The New York Head Coach also shared the latest team news from the City camp, revealing Alfredo Morales is pushing to start following his impressive cameo against FC Cincinnati, in which the midfielder crafted a delightful assist for Braian Cufré’s first goal for the Club.
There were also positive updates on Talles Magno and Mitja Ilenič, who missed the midweek clash, with the pair fighting for fitness, while Thiago Martins will, unfortunately, miss out through an injury sustained against Philadelphia Union.
New York City Football Club are back in The Bronx on Saturday, entertaining New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium in our final game of a three-match home stand.
The clash kicks off at 3:30pm ET on June 3, and tickets are available.
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