Game Information:
Who: Red Bull New York (0-1-2, 2 Points) vs Columbus Crew (1-1-1, 4 Points)
When: March 18th, 7:30 P.M. EST
Where: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
How to Watch: MLS Season Pass- Apple TV+
Red Bull return home after picking up a well-earned point last week in the snowy tundra of Minnesota. They fell down early in the game, but thanks to an Andres Reyes header of a corner from JMi, Red Bull was able to spoil the party of Minnesota United’s home opener.
Matchday four sees the Columbus Crew come to town. Last season Red Bull struggled against the Crew, drawing 1-1 at home and losing 2-1 on the road. In 2022, Columbus happened to miss the playoffs, finishing 8th in the eastern conference.
For OG’s when MLS started up, the Crew was an original rival of Red Bull/Metro Stars. Saturday will mark the 78th  time that these two teams will meet in MLS play. regular season meeting between
The series' history is currently deadlocked at 32-32-13. Luckily at home, Red Bull has the advantage against the Crew. Of the 37 games played at Giant Stadium and Red Bull Arena, Red Bull come out victorious 19 times.
In the home opener against Nashville, Red Bull had some great energy from the home supporters. If the fans bring that same energy into the second home game of the season, Red Bull will look to feed off that energy and find the back of the net as much as possible to send everyone home happy.
Red Bull Projected XI
With a couple of questions with their XI heading into their second game at Red Bull Arena, here’s how Gerhard Struber should line up his Red Bull squad against Columbus.
We could see a change in the attack that sees Elias Manoel draw back into the XI. Against Nashville in the home opener, the duo of Manoel and Burke worked very well together. It was a small sample size but Struber should start both of them from the start. This would allow Morgan to drop the wing/attacking midfield where he had all his success last season.
In the duel-holding midfield spots, I would expect Daniel Edelman, who earned his first start of the season against Minnesota, to keep his spot. Edelman's inclusion balance out the entire midfield while giving Cristian Casseres some more flexibility to go forward.
Looking at the defense, the only decision that Struber has to make is who plays at right-back? It's a major toss-up between Cameron Harper and Kyle Duncan, with both starting the season in good form.
With Harper 100% cleared from concussion protocol, it is very likely that we will see the Scotish-American back in the XI. His ability to beat defenders on the ball down, get crosses off and create havoc in the opposition's box is a major plus for Stuber's side. Red Bull will need that creativity to exploit a potential hole down the left side of the Crew defense.
Columbus Crew Scouting Report
Comparing the Columbus team who will play Saturday against who they played last season, this will be completely different from what Red Bull saw at the end of last season. For starters the Crew changed formation, at least to start the season, moving to a 3-4-3.
The Crew is led by a star-studded front line comprised of Lucas Zelarayán & Cucho Hernández. When he arrived in MLS from Premier League side Watford in July, Hernandez hit the ground running, scoring nine times in just 16 games for Columbus.
For Zelarayan, he has started 2023 on fire with two goals in his first three games. This duo is very dangerous together if you are not ready for the test. Check Columbus' game against DC where Zelarayan torched the Raccoons for a brace and the three points
Where Columbus has struggled early in the season is keeping the ball out of their own net. They have conceded five goals in their first three games. Yes, four of those came on opening day to Philadelphia, but this Crew team is not as sound defensively with multiple question marks on their back line.
Familiar names like Milos Degenek and Eloy Room in goal anchor the back line. The questions on defense come from who plays next to the Australian.
At right center-back is is a natural right-back in Steven Moreira. In his 10 year career, the Frenchmen has played CB just 13 times.
On the left is a very inexperienced Phillip Quinton, who played with Crew II last season. Quinton is only in his second year as a pro and in his first road came helped concede four goals to Philly.
Match Day 4 Prediction
Red Bull after dropping their first game of the season to Orlando has drawn their last two games. Struber’s boys haven’t unlocked their game offensively to start the season but have been very good in their own defensive third.
Columbus and mainly Lucas Zelarayán & Cucho Hernández will be a tough matchup for the duo of Andres Reyes and Sean Nealis. But Red Bull has been very effective at shutting teams' top offensive players as they did against Facundo Torres & Martin Ojeda in week one and Hany Mukhtar in week two.
Red Bull is going to need another great performance from Nealis and Reyes to come away with anything from this game. For Red Bull to come away with all three points though they will need to wake up in the opponent’s box.
Photo Courtesy of New York Red Bulls
Corey Burke will be the key for Red Bull against Columbus. The Jamaican was super effective against Minnesota, winning aerial duels, holding up the ball, and finding his attacking partners to create chances. Burke should be the focal point of Red Bull’s attack against the back three of the Crew.
If Burke brings his form back to RBA from Minnesota, Red Bull will have plenty of chances and the only question is will they finish any? Against Columbus, you can only hope that they will finally bury these chances that they will create.
Score Prediction: 2-1 (Manoel, Luquinhas)
Availability Report
OUT
Serge Ngoma
Dru Yearwood
QUESTIONABLE
Lewis Morgan
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