Over a month has passed since New York City FC were handed the most humiliating defeat of their still short history, but the club is still hurting. Patrick Vieira’s side have played four games, winning two of them, and sit in second place in the Eastern Conference, yet the 7-0 thumping at the hands of the New York Red Bulls still feels like the defining moment of their season so far.
Now they have the chance to reverse some of the damage inflicted in that Hudson River Derby defeat this weekend. The two teams will meet once more at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with the Bronx men looking to exact revenge on their closest rivals.
But it’s about more than just exacting revenge. New York City FC have an inferiority complex when it comes to their rivalry with the New York Red Bulls, having failed to even claim a point against their Harrison counterparts. That’s something that must be eradicated if NYCFC are to become the truly major league franchise they want to be.
So how can they register the win they so badly want and need? The Red Bulls appear to have NYCFC’s number, but there is no doubt that the latter have the quality and pedigree to finally get the better of their rivals. They must be more streetwise than they have been in previous encounters, though.
If New York City FC are to claim their first win over the Red Bulls this weekend they need David Villa to be in top form. The Spaniard is their figurehead in every way, notching 11 goals in just 17 appearances so far this season. He is their attacking hub, averaging an impressive 5.8 shots on goal per game, illustrating just how productive he remains even as he enters the twilight of his career.
They might have an additional weapon to call upon against the Red Bulls this time. Frank Lampard has finally recovered from injury and has scored in back-to-back games for NYCFC. He is averaging 1.8 shots on goal per game, but could do with raising the number of key passes he makes per outing. His current average of 0.2 per match pales in comparison with Andrea Pirlo’s 2.2 per match. More is expected of a player who occupies the space around the opposition penalty area.
From a defensive perspective, Federico Bravo has made a difference at the back, averaging an impressive 3.6 interceptions per match. However, the Argentine is expected to be sidelined for the clash against the Red Bulls through injury. That leaves Vieira with a position to fill in his defensive line.
At left-back Ronald Matarrita has proved to be one of the successes of the season so far, averaging an astonishing 4.5 tackles per game - ranking him as the best tackler in the whole league. He will be crucial to stopping the Red Bulls’ forays down the wings, preventing service into Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sacha Kljestan in the centre.
If NYCFC are hoping to control the contest on Sunday they need Pirlo to find his passing range. The Italian maestro averages 56.9 passes per game and is the dynamo through which his team’s play flows through. His pass success rate of 81.8% is among the highest in MLS and he must keep that success rate high to ensure that New York City FC take a grip of the game.
Tommy McNamara has often proved a difference-maker for his team this season, becoming something of a talisman for New York City FC. He contributed an assist in the 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union, which many saw as the turning point in their post-derby defeat campaign, but has now scored just once in his last 11 appearances. This weekend would be a good time to improve on that record.
New York City FC appear to be in good shape to claim their first win over the Red Bulls on Sunday, but they were tipped as favourites in May when the two sides met. On that occasion they were thrashed 7-0. This time they must find a way to translate their favourites tag into a performance on the pitch.
Who do you think will come out on top in Sunday's Hudson River Derby? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
