Thursday 20 August 2015 13:15, UK
LA Galaxy against New York City FC and Didier Drogba's possible debut - plus other questions ahead of MLS this weekend.
LA Galaxy v New York City FC: Who will prevail in All-Stars battle?
The chemistry between LA Galaxy's star players continued to improve as they overcame a stern test away to western conference heavyweights FC Dallas, winning 2-1 thanks to a Robbie Keane double.
The result provided another confidence boost for the Galaxy on the road. Their 3-1 victory over Colorado on August 1 was the first time Bruce Arena's side had beaten a team away from home in just under a year and victory in Dallas in front of a raucous atmosphere marked back-to-back wins on their travels.
The game against New York City FC will prove an immense test as some of the league's highest profile players go head-to-head. Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Giovani Dos Santos against Andrea Pirlo and David Villa could see TV viewing figures soar. However, Frank Lampard looks a doubt as he recovers from a thigh strain.
New York City got a much needed - and slightly surprising - win against DC United last week. Alongside their 2-2 draw midweek against Columbus, both games highlighted the effectiveness of Kwadwo Poku playing just in behind David Villa.
The Ghanaian's influential performances in recent weeks are likely to secure him a starting spot as his marauding runs - and ability to break into space - could prove vital against LA Galaxy.
D.C. United v San Jose Earthquakes: Which team will control the game?
San Jose secured a significant three points last weekend against Colorado Rapids to end a six-game winless streak, including one draw. The 'Quakes followed that up with a shock 5-0 win away to Sporting Kansas City midweek.
Striker Chris Wondolowski became the first San Jose player to reach the 100-goal milestone with a double against Kansas. The Quakes' captain is also the first MLS player to score at least 10 regular-season goals in six consecutive seasons.
DC United lost their most recent outing against New York City after winning their previous three matches and interestingly, have been outshot 43-7 in the last three matches.
Questions have to be raised over whether they can maintain their position at the top of the east standings after being so reliant on playing counter-attacking football throughout the season.
San Jose rank bottom across both conferences for possession, averaging 46.1 per cent per game. It could make for an unusual match-up as neither side prefers to play on the front foot.
The game looks set to be a cagey contest with possibly one goal making the difference, unless Wondolowski can inspire.
Montreal Impact v Philadelphia Union: Will Didier Drogba start or come off the bench?
Montreal Impact have confirmed that Didier Drogba will feature for this fixture, but there is no certainty as to whether he will play a starting role or sit on the bench.
And it could be a valuable time for their newest designated player to make an appearance as their last two results have yielded just one point. Also, Montreal currently rank sixth off the bottom for goals scored in MLS, a stat which could be rectified through the arrival of Drogba with the Ivorian boasting a record of 166 goals in 326 league appearances over his 17-year career.
Philadelphia are without a win in their last five matches and are in serious danger of not making the play-offs with just over two months of the regular season left to play.
But Cristian Maidana could help lift the team if they can maintain a level of defensive solidity. His three assists in their 3-3 draw with Chicago Fire last weekend now makes him the league leader of assists with 14, setting the Union's single-season assist record in the process.
Columbus Crew v Sporting Kansas City: Can Sporting KC contain MLS' top scorer Kei Kamara?
Sporting Kansas City have the best points per game record in the league with 1.74. In MLS, it is not uncommon to see teams play an entirely different number of matches at a given point in a season.
Therefore, having played as little as three fewer games than others in the league, Sporting KC are in with a good chance to top the western conference. However, eight of their next 11 matches will be played on the road with their last result being a shock 5-0 defeat at home to San Jose Earthquakes.
And it does not come much tougher than Columbus for Peter Vermes' men. The task of preventing Kei Kamara from adding to his 18-goal tally could prove difficult as the Sierra Leone international scored twice against Colorado Rapids, followed by another goal against NYCFC. The brace against the Rapids was the fifth time this season he has scored more than one goal in a game.
The former Middlesbrough striker may have the pace and movement which could be hard to stop, even though Sporting Kansas City have won their last five matches against the Crew in recent history.
Toronto v Orlando City: Will Kaka and Cyle Larin revive their combination?
Toronto's push for the play-offs is looking increasingly more challenging, having lost three of their last four matches with Montreal and Orlando both three points behind. Toronto's match against Orlando at home looks to be a crucial game for the Reds to win.
Orlando have not won in their last three matches, losing 4-0 to Seattle Sounders last weekend and failing to score for the second game in a row. They have won just once in their last eight.
Coach Adrian Heath has changed the Lions' formation for each of the last three matches. Returning to a 4-2-3-1 may be the best solution in order to restore familiarity for the players.
Striker Cyle Larin has failed to score in his last three games after netting five goals in the previous two. If the young Canada international can re-ignite his partnership with Kaka, then Giovinco and company may see their points advantage disappear by the end of 90 minutes.
