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Real Salt Lake host Los Angeles FC in the MLS Western Conference, with the latter looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against city rivals LA Galaxy last time.
Real Salt Lake are just a point behind LAFC in the MLS Western Conference table. A win at the Rio Tinto Stadium would send them above LAFC in the standings.
Since football resumed in the USA after the COVID-19 pandemic, Real Salt Lake have won just two games out of the eight that they have played, and they are without a win in their last three games.
LAFC, on the other hand, have lost three of their last four games, with two of those being against their city rivals, the Galaxy.
The Black and Golds have not really reacted well to losing their talismanic Mexican striker Carlos Vela to injury, even though Diego Rossi has been available to shoulder the goal-scoring burden.
Real Salt Lake vs Los Angeles FC Head-to-Head
Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC have faced each other six times, with LAFC dominating the head-to-head match-up. They have won five of those six games, only losing once against Real Salt Lake.
The last time the two sides met each, LAFC squared up against each other 6 times. It is a fixture that has been dominated by LAFC and they have won it on 5 occasions while Real Salt Lake have come away as the winners just once.
The last time these two sides clashed, LAFC walked away with a 2-0 win. In that game, both sides were reduced to ten men, but goals from Carlos Vela and Adama Diomande gave LAFC the win.
Real Salt Lake won the first ever meeting between the two sides, but have lost all five games to LAFC since then.
Real Salt Lake form guide: L-D-D-W-L
LAFC form guide: L-W-L-L-D
Real Salt Lake vs Los Angeles FC Team News
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake head coach Freddy Juarez has got a fully available squad to choose from, and he might need the depth of options. The fixture list hasn't been kind to the MLS teams, with a game every three or four days, so constant rotation has been a necessity.
Usual attacking starters Damir Kreilach, Corey Baird and Albert Rusnak did not start their last game against Minnesota United, which they lost 4-0, and are expected to start this one.
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None
Los Angeles FC
In what has looked a terminal blow to LAFC's season so far, Carlos Vela remains ruled out due to a Grade 2 strain to his medial collateral ligament. Eduard Atuesta will also be unavailable as with a foot injury. Mark-Anthony Kaye was shown a red card in LAFC's 3-0 defeat to LA Galaxy, and will be suspended for this game.
Injuries: Carlos Vela, Eduard Atuesta
Suspensions: Mark-Anthony Kaye
Real Salt Lake vs Los Angeles FC Predicted XIs
Real Salt Lake (4-3-3): Andrew Putna, Donny Toia, Nedum Onuoha, Justen Glad, Herrera, Everton Luiz, Pablo Ruiz, Corey Baird, Giuseppe Rossi, Albert Rusnak, Damir Kreilach.
Los Angeles FC (4-3-3): Kenneth Vermeer; Tristan Blackmon; Dejan Jaković; Diego Palacios; Latif Blessing; Jose Cifuentes; Mark-Anthony Kaye; Brian Rodríguez, Diego Rossi, Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Real Salt Lake vs Los Angeles FC Prediction
Neither team is in very good form coming into this game, and it is made worse by the fact that both teams have shipped goals at an alarming rate.
In the likes of Rossi and Wright-Phillips, though, LAFC have proven goal-scorers, who can change the complexion of the game with a single moment. Hence, we are putting LAFC as slight favourites to win this one.
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 1-2 Los Angeles FC
