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Real Salt Lake takes on LA Galaxy in a US Open Cup quarterfinal tonight in a match that's probably attracting more attention than usual for this marquee matchup.
That's because former Liverpool constant Steven Gerrard could be set for his first true LA Galaxy run-out, and why not? Well, actually — LA coach Bruce Arena might want a positive result, and Gerrard could be a part of that, but he might also want to save him for a much-vaunted (and advertised) run-out on Friday.
How to watch
There's a YouTube stream, but it's not posted as of this writing. We'll stay on it to see if it pops up before the match, but it's set to be broadcast on YouTube by US Soccer. Here's the link for their live streams, so if there's nothing here, you should be able to find it there.
Team news
Sebastian Saucedo may very well be set for a start for Real Salt Lake, who have been in a bit of a match-crunch in MLS. This match is probably the bigger of the two, but Saucedo's been an exciting figure. He's come back early from U-18 duty to participate with RSL, which is always fun.
No team news has emerged other than that, but don't expect too much change for the team.
What to watch
Keep the wolves at bay
LA Galaxy will undoubtedly see this RSL side as a side of meat dangling from the ceiling, and rightly so. It would be inaccurate to call Real Salt Lake the "walking wounded" because at this point, those wounds have become more severe than ever. Bad losses, ugly draws, and an inability to maintain any sort of consistency will give RSL a tough time tonight, and they'll need to be at their very best to avoid falling prey.
Stem the passing tide of Steven Gerrard
If there's one thing we saw against Kaka and Orlando City recently that should give RSL supporters some semblance of hope, it's that the team did quite well to keep Kaka's passing at bay. Now, that's metered by two facts: first, that Kaka played only half the match, and second, that he also scored a goal. But put a few things together and RSL could be in good shape against yet another good-passing player.
Find yourself
No, not you, reader — this is directed at the team. They need to really sit up and evaluate their own condition and what it'll take to really improve. With the right approach and effort and mental strength (all of which are pretty nebulous terms), maybe we don't have to be so down on this team. Here's hoping.