🔮 Previewing an abbreviated MLS matchday 31 | OneFootball

MLS is back for another matchday, though only 12 teams are in action as the league syncs up the fixtures after the Leagues Cup break. Let's take a look at some of the top stories from the six games.

Fixture of the weekend

The Crew have featured in our fixture of the weekend numerous times this season, but when you're the best team in MLS, it tracks.

The newly crowned Leagues Cup champions will host a wounded Seattle Sounders outfit that is fresh off the back of a disappointing loss against bitter rivals Portland Timbers.

The Sounders were one of the hottest teams in the division before that defeat at Providence Park, lead by the scintillating form of Jordan Morris in the center-forward role.

But Brian Schemtzer's side head to Columbus where the Crew have been utterly unplayable this season. No lead is safe in the confines of Lower.com Field, yet Seattle have been the masters of stealing results in the modern MLS era.

Player to watch

Ezequiel Ponce has a chance to turn the Houston Dynamo's fortunes this season, and he may already be doing that.

The summer-signing found the back of the net against LAFC last weekend as the Dynamo stunned the Western Conference champions in Los Angeles, and he has a chance to rub salt in the wound once again this weekend.

Two questions ahead of the matchday

Can Vancouver make their games in hand count?

Vancouver have it all in their hands. With two games in hand over their rivals in the Western Conference, the Caps can jump into the top-four and even challenge for second.

But football has taught us for years that games in hand are not free points. Vancouver will have to go through an FC Dallas side that is desperate to collect points of their own. A win for the Texas outfit could see them jump into a playoff spot by the end of the weekend.

Vanni Sartini's side could see a debut for deadline day signing Stuart Armstrong to boot.

Will LAFC get revenge for shock home defeat?

It's not often LAFC get blanked and defeated on their own patch of grass, but a resurgent Houston side did just that last week.

But it would be silly to think Steve Cherundolo's side won't react like a cornered animal when they square off the Dynamo once again in Houston this weekend.

The Black and Gold looked leggy last time out, but with games in hand and some ground to make up on hated rivals LA Galaxy, they should have plenty of motivation to right the ship. With Olivier Giroud still settling in, it could be a slow burn but the fire will eventually catch once again.