🔮 Previewing the return of MLS after the Leagues Cup break | OneFootball

Major League Soccer is finally back! Leagues Cup 2024 is all but wrapped up and that means regular scheduled programming can begin once again.

We’ve got a full slate of MLS games to bite into on Saturday, and with just a couple of months left in the campaign, points are at a premium. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories heading into matchday 29.

Fixture of the weekend

Sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one. Inter Miami’s clash with FC Cincinnati is by far the most watchable in MLS this weekend. Nobody will forget the day that Tata Martino’s side were dealt a thumping 6-1 defeat in Cincinnati back in July. Luis Suárez and co. will surely be out for revenge.

Not only is potential retribution on the line, but Saturday could be the day that Miami break away in the Supporters Shield race once and for all. If all goes well, the Herons could be seven points clear by the end of the weekend.

Meanwhile for FC Cincinnati, a first place finish in the East is still very much up for grabs, and they have shown that they have the formula for beating Miami in the past. With a few summer additions to strengthen the squad, Pat Noonan’s side appear primed and ready for the run-in.

Player to watch

Jeremy Ebobisse was a man on a mission for the San Jose Earthquakes during the Leagues Cup, scoring four goals across the tournament. If he can replicate that form in the final few months of the MLS season, his stock could rise considerably.

This season may not be salvageable, but the core trio of Ebobisse, Hernán López, and Cristian Espinoza have started to show signs of elite chemistry in San Jose.

Two questions ahead of matchday 29

How does Marco Reus change things in Carson?

Considering the Galaxy sit top of the Western Conference and only four points back in the Supporters Shield race, its clear they have not been lacking top-end talent. But now Marco Reus is in town, and the interest levels will ramp up.

The Borussia Dortmund legend was cleared to join the matchday squad for the Galaxy’s showdown with Atlanta United this weekend, but it begs the question — where will he fit in?

The Galaxy’s attack has been their strength this season, spearheaded by the dynamic trio of Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, and Riqui Puig. There is a chance that Greg Vanney could sacrifice a center-forward to fit Reus in down the line, but considering the production from the attack at the moment, he may only be a super-sub in the coming weeks.

Will Charlotte’s summer business move the needle?

Charlotte have been the surprise package throughout most of the 2024 MLS campaign, and they were busy in the summer window as well. While they were linked to big-money moves for Calvin Stengs and Miguel Almirón, those deals fell through. Yet Dean Smith’s side did acquire USMNT defender Tim Ream, crafty attacking midfielder Pep Biel, and midfielder Jamie Patterson from Swansea City.

There were fears heading into the window that too much business could disrupt the burgeoning attacking duo of Kerwin Vargas and Patrick Agyemang, but with only depth pieces added to the spine of the team, Charlotte may have made the right decisions.

We’re unsure of just how much the new-boys will feature against the Red Bulls at the weekend, but the trio could just be the little boost needed for Charlotte to cement themselves as dark-horses in the Eastern Conference.