New York City FC travel to New Jersey to take on the Red Bulls this weekend.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford.
Derby Day
The Hudson River Derby is one of the highlights of the season.
When the two local rivals lock horns, it’s about pride as well as points—with the Hudson River Derby trophy also up for grabs.
New York City FC claimed all three points in the first matchup of 2025 thanks to goals from Alonso Martínez and Maxi Moralez. Form does not often dictate the outcome of derby games, as evidenced by the fact New York City had not won the two games prior to May’s victory over the Red Bulls.
With a chance to delight the fans, New York City’s players won’t be short of motivation on Saturday, as they look to do the double over their old rivals and confirm that New York is still blue.
Cross the River
New York City FC will cross the river this weekend looking to bounce back from a midweek disappointment against Inter Miami CF.
Pascal Jansen’s side boast a strong recent record in the Hudson River Derby. Across the last five meetings between the two teams (regular season and playoffs), New York City have won three, drawn one, and lost one.
Historically, of the 26 encounters in the MLS regular season, both teams have managed 11 wins apiece. Last season, New York City won both regular season games before the Red Bulls claimed victory in the playoff meeting.
Jansen and his players will be keen to engineer a repeat of last season this weekend, and if they succeed, it could deal a hammer blow to the Red Bulls’ playoff hopes.
Busy
New York City finish September with a demanding stretch: starting last weekend with the visit of Charlotte FC, followed by the midweek clash against Inter Miami, and now a trip to New Jersey to take on the Red Bulls.
The run has already brought major rewards for the Club, with a playoff place clinched. The hope now is that they can continue to climb as high as possible, with a top-four finish still firmly within reach.
