Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati prediction, projected lineups, how to watch | OneFootball

The Hell is Real Derby has been one of the can't-miss fixtures in MLS in recent seasons, and Saturday night will be no different when Eastern Conference-leading FC Cincinnati visits the third-place Columbus Crew.

Here's what you need to know for the nationally televised clash.

How to watch Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati

Time: 7:15 pm ET

Venue: Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio

Tickets: Click here

TV and Streaming: FS1, Fox Deportes, MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+

Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati projected lineups

After dealing with injuries through much of the early season, Cincy is the rare team with a completely clean bill of health on the MLS Player Status Report for Matchday 14, with Matt Miazga and Luca Orellano returning from short-term layoffs.

Columbus is also close to full strength, with Rudy Camacho and Andres Herrera the only absences.

And despite the game coming at the end of a three-game, eight-day stretch, the importance of the occasion to both clubs makes it pretty likely both Columbus' Wilfried Nancy and Cincinnati's Pat Noonan will field their strongest lineups.

Columbus potential lineup (3-4-3, right to left)

Patrick Schulte (GK) - Steven Moreira, Yevhen Cheberko, Malte Amundsen - Mohamed Farsi, Dylan Chambost, Darlington Nagbe, Max Arfsten - Diego Rossi, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Aziel Jackson

Cincinnati potential lineup (3-4-1-2, right to left)

Roman Celentano (GK) - Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Teenage Hadebe - DeAndre Yedlin, Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo, Brad Smith - Evander - Luca Orellano, Kevin Denkey

Player status report

Columbus: Rudy Camacho - thigh (out), Andres Herrera - thigh (out). Cincinnati: None.

Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati prediction

Cincinnati is in the best form in MLS right now, winning seven of their last eight to storm into the East and Supporters' Shield lead.

But this is a hard ask to play a second consecutive away match in four days against a Columbus side that opted for a bit more rotation in their midweek away fixture, a 1-1 draw at CF Montreal.

And generally, the best and worst patches of form in MLS expire after 7-10 games. So look for a Columbus home win here, perhaps in a higher-scoring affair in the late spring heat that makes defending all that much more tiring.