NYCFC looks to stop their longest winless streak since 2015 as the Boys In Blue host the Columbus Crew at Yankee Stadium.
A goalless draw against Real Salt Lake last Saturday meant Nick Cushing's side have now gone eight games without tasting victory but they have picked up points in consecutive matches for the first time since April.
Meanwhile, Columbus has star man Lucas Zelarayan to thank for last week's 2-1 victory over Chicago as he scored the third-longest goal in MLS history, his shot measuring at 60.98 yards from his own half.
The Crew have won three matches in a row and sit a solid sixth in the Eastern Conference while NYCFC are 13th, four points from a playoff spot.
Yankee Stadium has not been kind to Columbus as they have won just twice in ten all-time visits to the Bronx.
Team news
The Boys In Blue will be without defender Thiago Martins, who underwent knee surgery and midfielder Maxime Chanot, away on international duty with Luxembourg.
Milos Degenek (ankle) and Will Sands (knee) have been ruled out while Gustavo Vallecilla is questionable with a thigh injury.
Zelarayan is away on international duty with Armenia.
This match will mark the first time Malte Amundsen faces his former team since the defender was traded from NYCFC to Columbus on April 25th.
Predicted lineups
NYCFC: Barraza; Gray, Sands, Haak, O'Toole; Parks; Ilenic, Morales, Rodriguez, Cufre; Pereira
Columbus Crew: Schulte; Zawadzki, Moreira, Amundsen; Matan, Nagbe, Yeboah, Morris; Ramirez, Farsi; Hernandez, Ramirez
Ones to watch
Nick Cushing (NYCFC manager)
That's right. I listed the manager here simply because Cushing is on the hot seat with the Boys In Blue experiencing their worst stretch since their inaugural season eight years ago.
His tactical changes, decisions who to start and who he substitutes in sound simple for any boss to do, but the 38-year-old needs to get it right and get it right today.
Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew)
Injuries have slowed the Colombian down, with a knee issue being his latest setback, but since he has returned, Hernandez has contributed to a goal in eight consecutive matches, tying a club record.
When fully healthy and with Zelarayan away, the 29-year-old is by far the most dangerous man on the pitch for the Crew.
Previous meetings
Last August, Columbus came away with an exciting 3-2 victory over NYCFC to snap a two-match losing streak to the Boys In Blue.
In the third minute, NYCFC were in front after a cross by Amundsen took a deflection off of Jonathan Mensah and sent the ball past goalkeeper Eloy Room and into his own net.
The Crew would level ion 20 minutes as a pullback by Luis Diaz found a streaking Cucho Hernandez and his low shot beat Sean Johnson.
Seven minutes later the hosts would take the lead as they capitalized on a turnover in the defensive third with Lucas Zelarayan curling home to make it 2-1 Columbus.
NYCFC equalized after some neat interplay on the edge of the penalty area, the ball finding Gabriel Pereira, who shifted inside, fired on net, the shot deflecting in.
Zelarayan would score the match-winner as he was unmarked in the box as his driven effort found the bottom corner.
How to watch
The match will be streamed nationally on Apple TV + with Max Bretos as the play-by-play announcer and Brian Dunseth serving as analyst.
Kickoff is set for 3:30pm Eastern time.