Get to know the matchup in Keys to the Game, presented by Honda:
The Back Line
New York has failed to keep a clean sheet in all but one of their matches in 2023. That shutout came in a 0-0 draw against Nashville on March 5.
Securing a clean sheet would go a long way towards capturing the second win of the season.
Filling in the Gaps
Nine players featured on the status report for New York before Saturday’s match against Houston, including key contributors like Frankie Amaya and Andrés Reyes, who leads the league in interceptions.
Who fills in for whoever is missing and how they perform in that role will be a key determining factor in what Saturday’s result will be.
Barlow Breakthrough
Tom Barlow was a standout in the Red Bulls 2023 preseason campaign. His late leveler against San Jose was his first goal of the 2023 regular season campaign, but he has been unlucky not to open his account before that.
Will the crucial goal against San Jose be the spark for Barlow?