The Houston Dynamo will look to get back into a playoff position when they take on the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
Houston is coming off a tough 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls and is in the midst of a three game winless streak. The team is looking to jump back into a playoff spot as it currently sits in a tie for fifth with 47 points.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia is in the midst of a four-game winless streak that has included two losses and two draws. The team is coming off a 1-0 loss against the San Jose Earthquakes; a loss that could cause some players to lose their status in the starting XI.
"There are more positions open this week than there have been all season," Philadelphia head coach John Hackworth said, according to Major League Soccer's official website. "We wanted to emphasize that it was unacceptable on many levels on Sunday night. It bodes well for guys working hard in training who smell it a little bit. They know there's opportunity there. And if the coaching staff isn't happy with the performance, the logical thing is you interject a new face in there or change something tactically."
"I think the pressure is now on our front five - our two strikers and three attack-minded midfielders," Hackworth added about which players could potentially lose their spots. "Whether it's Keon Daniel, Conor Casey, McInerney, Sebastien, Cruz or Michael Farfan, whoever we put in there, someone on our team has to start making the big plays that all teams need."
Philadelphia sits in fourth place in the East with 49 points; however, they have played one more game than the fifth and sixth place teams and only have a two point lead on them. A loss to Houston coupled with a New England win this weekend could potentially leave Philadelphia out of the top five playoff spots.
Prediction: The home team will prevail; look for Philadelphia to win 3-1.
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
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