With the New York Red Bulls coming off an appearance in the MLS Cup final in December, coach Sandro Schwarz expected a better start this season.

Schwarz wants to see consistency after the Red Bulls (3-2-3, 12 points) went 1-1-1 the last three weeks, and their next two matches are at home in Harrison, N.J., against teams that are among the bottom three in the Eastern Conference.

First up is struggling D.C. United (1-4-3, 6 points), who have given up more goals than any team in the league.

“We want to give the answer on the field on Saturday against D.C. United,” Schwarz said. “It is a big game for us and our supporters.”

Injuries have contributed to the Red Bulls’ uneven start. Lewis Morgan, who scored 13 goals last year, will be out another few weeks after undergoing knee surgery last month.

Daniel Edelman, Marcelo Morales and Roald Mitchell will continue to be sidelined, while Julian Hall and Mohammed Sofo are questionable, Schwarz said.

Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting are in fine form for the Red Bulls, having each delivered three goals and one assist.

New York will have much in its favor on Saturday. The Red Bulls are unbeaten at home this season and have not lost in their last eight matches against D.C. United.

As an assistant for the Red Bulls in 2022 and head coach in 2023, D.C. United’s current skipper Troy Lesesne played a role in building the streak. Now he wants to end it, along with his team’s current four-game losing skid.

There have been some positives during the slide as D.C. played well in home losses to Cincinnati (1-0) last week and against Columbus (2-1) on March 29.

“Those were two good performances and we just don’t get the result and they’re two top teams,” Lesesne said.

To snap out of its funk, D.C. will look again to Christian Benteke, who leads the team with five goals.

Making his first start since 2023 as he replaced first-year keeper Kim Joon-Hong, D.C. United’s Luis Barraza had five saves against Cincinnati.

–Field Level Media