Two teams currently on a tough run of results will go head-to-head at the BMO Stadium on Thursday when Los Angeles FC play host to Minnesota United.
The home side have won just one of their last eight matches across all competitions, while the visitors are winless in six consecutive games.
Match preview
Los Angeles FC were beaten for a second successive match as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake when the sides faced off on Monday.
Despite being in the ascendancy for major spells of the contest, Steve Cherundolo's men conceded a 72nd-minute opener to Cristian Arango and that was enough to put them to the sword.
As a result, the Falcons have dropped down to fourth in the Western Conference of the MLS table, a whopping 11 points adrift of division leaders St. Louis City.
Coming up next is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams over the previous nine meetings which have yielded two wins apiece and five stalemates.
Off the back of consecutive defeats on home turf leading up to Thursday's outing, the hosts will be keen to get themselves back to winning ways in front of their fans.
Minnesota United had to settle for a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw against San Jose Earthquakes at the Allianz Field on Sunday.
Adrian Heath's men took the lead 10 minutes into the second half through Teemu Pukki before Paul Marie restored parity with eight minutes left to play.
With 38 points picked up from 31 matches so far, the Loons sit 11th in the Western Conference standings, three points away from playoff contention.
In the first of two straight matches against the Los Angeles contingent of the MLS, Thursday's visitors have little margin for error in their quest to secure a place in the postseason.
Team News
Minnesota's Robin Lod remains unavailable for selection due to a knee problem which has seen him fail to feature since the third week of May.
American duo Ryen Jiba and Brent Kallman also miss out for the visitors, but the latter is drawing increasingly closer to a return to action.
Twenty-eight-year-old Kellyn Acosta is a doubt for Los Angeles here having come off with an injury scare in the defeat to Real Salt Lake last time out.
Should Acosta be deemed unfit to participate, Mateusz Bogusz is largely expected to return to the starting lineup after the midfielder was recently dropped to the bench.
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Crepeau; Palacios, Long, Murillo, Hollingshead; Bogusz, Sanchez, Tillman; Olivera, Vela, Bouanga
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St. Clair; Taylor, Boxall, Tapias, Bristow; Gregus, Trapp; Hlongwane, Reynoso, Dotson; Pukki
We say: Los Angeles FC 2-1 Minnesota United
Los Angeles have failed to score in each of their last four matches, but we can see them finding the back of the net against a Minnesota side who have not kept a clean sheet in their last six outings. We are also tipping the home side to carry the day come the sound of the final whistle.
How to watch
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