Can the Columbus Crew cap off a three-game week with a victory when they host the New York Red Bulls? The Black and Gold have started 2024 off with a bang, which bucks the trend of defending MLS Cup champions struggling in the early portion of the following season. The Crew has balanced the extra workload masterfully and has a chance to end a busy week with a win.

Head coach Wilfried Nancy said he would never complain about playing extra games due to a successful season, and he has guided the team well. Two victories and a draw in league play plus an aggregate victory against the Houston Dynamo have shown the depth and resilience of his team. 

Columbus could be without the services of Alex Matan once more as the forward recovers from an injury sustained on the road against Houston during the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Houston.

Here is how the Crew could line up Saturday evening against New York:

Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte has been raising some eyebrows with his early season play. The 23-year-old shot-stopper has elevated his play while also contributing to the build-up and getting him looks with the national team.

Not only is USMNT head coach Gregg Berhlater interested in the Crew keeper, but there are reports that multiple teams in England have been scouting him. Schulte was relatively anonymous at the beginning of last season, and now he has the soccer world’s interest, how will he cope with a higher level of interest from teams abroad?. 

The Red Bulls will be the biggest test yet for the Black & Gold backline.

The addition of midfielder Emil Forsberg and the resurgence of winger Lewis Morgan has brought quality in the attacking third that the Red Bulls have surely missed. Leading the defensive line will be defender Rudy Camacho flanked by defenders Steven Moreira and Malte Amundsen. Look at this match as a potential dress rehearsal for when Columbus travels to Monterrey to take on Tigres UANL.

Wingbacks Yaw Yeboah and Mo Farsi should feature again in this match. Due to New York’s style of play, look for Amundsen and Yeboah to try and connect on long balls after the Red Bulls lose possession of the ball. 

Midfielders Aidan Morris and captain Darlington Nagbe will look to control the middle of the pitch in this match. One of the keys to the match is if Morris can break up attacking sequences early, and the Crew’s counter-press can suffocate the Red Bulls when they win back possession. Another is if Nagbe continues to be the best player in the world at retaining the ball under pressure. 

The two DP forwards, Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi will start and with Matan unlikely to play there is some uncertainty about who gets the start next to the duo. Both forwards Christian Ramirez and Jacen Russell-Rowe have acquitted themselves nicely in their appearances. Russell-Rowe continues to get good scoring chances while Ramirez showed his quality in the midweek match, providing the series-winning assist. Russell-Rowe will get the start in this one before being whisked away North of the Border by the Canadian national team.