Saturday brings us to Matchday 4, and another 14-game slate is coming your way via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Before all the soccer arrives, let’s identify a big question surrounding each club’s game this weekend. The answer should go a long way toward deciding what the results are.
Key watch info
As some schedule listing reminders…
- Apple TV - Free = games are free to watch; all you need is an Apple ID.
- Apple TV - MLS Season Pass = an MLS Season Pass subscription is required.
Studio shows
If you want to keep track of everything…
- Tune into the MLS 360 whip-around show for live look-ins and analysis of all the key moments from every match.
- We've also got MLS Countdown as a lead-in and MLS Wrap-Up at the end of the night.
Select games are still viewable via national TV partners in USA and Canada, but gone are regional and local broadcasts. Instead, MLS Season Pass brings no blackouts (any device/any location) and multiple commentary options – English, Spanish, French (Canadian teams) and a club’s home radio broadcast.
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free, FOX | Saturday, 4 pm ET
Seattle: How healthy is Raúl Ruidíaz? The DP striker has played just 41 combined minutes in Seattle’s last two games while returning from a hamstring injury. With Héber still out injured, it’d do the Rave Green a world of good if he starts as they debut their new Bruce Lee Kit.
LAFC: Is Dénis Bouanga a Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidate in 2023? The DP forward has 2g/2a in two regular-season games, plus 3g/0a in two Concacaf Champions League games. With a full preseason in tow, big things are expected for Bouanga on the defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield champs.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Atlanta: Can they build off last weekend’s 3-0 win at Charlotte? The Five Stripes looked like their old selves on Matchday 3 and have two Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire winners so far: Thiago Almada and Caleb Wiley. We're still waiting for DP striker Giorgos Giakoumakis to get his first start, too.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Montréal: Does home cooking await? Montréal, after all their offseason changes, started their 2023 season with three straight road losses and are yet to score. Now, Saturday marks the club’s Stade Olympique debut under new coach Hernán Losada.
Philadelphia: Heavy legs or not? Philadelphia are playing their fifth game in 15 days and have already flexed some improved depth. Offseason trade acquisitions Andrés Perea, Joaquín Torres and Damion Lowe are all contributing.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
New England: How bad is the muscle injury to Carles Gil? The 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP was carrying a knock into last weekend’s loss at LAFC, then was subbed out before full-time … all after being a second-half substitute. The Revs’ offense revolves around him.
Nashville: Can they pitch another shutout? Nashville are the only team yet to allow a goal in 2023, and goalkeeper Joe Willis can become the only player in MLS history to shut out four consecutive opponents to start the season. Their backline of Daniel Lovitz, Jack Maher, Walker Zimmerman and Shaq Moore is fantastic.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
New York: Will that offense wake up? Dante Vanzeir, Luquinhas, Lewis Morgan … the pieces are there, but there’s only one goal (an Andrés Reyes corner kick header in the snow) to show for it so far.
Columbus: Another Aidan Morris masterclass incoming? The homegrown midfielder has low-key played at an extremely high level this season, benefiting from new coach Wilfried Nancy’s system. The 21-year-old is on the US men’s national team bubble for a reason.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
NYCFC: How profound is James Sands’ impact? Back early from his loan to Rangers, the homegrown midfielder seems to provide a foundation for Keaton Parks and Santiago Rodríguez to advance further upfield. The USMNT No. 6 will be so, so crucial to this team’s ceiling.
D.C. United: Will Christian Benteke and Mateusz Klich return to the goalscorer’s column? The Premier League alums both scored during the Black-and-Red’s thrilling opening-day comeback win over Toronto, but have grown a little snakebit in front of goal. D.C., unsurprisingly, haven’t won since.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Orlando: Can they replicate that CCL second half vs. Tigres? This team has match-winners – see Pedro Gallese’s goalkeeping heroics or Ercan Kara’s world-class bicycle kick – to go blow for blow with arguably Concacaf’s top team. Now it’s about translating that intensity and quality to league play.
Charlotte: Does Christian Lattanzio simplify things tactically? It seems Charlotte’s coach is trying to overcomplicate a few areas – Brandt Bronico at left back, the midfield balance, Karol Swiderski at right wing, etc. At 0W-3L-0D, something’s gotta give…
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Toronto: What’s the impact of Lorenzo Insigne being out long-term? The Italian winger is probably sidelined through mid-April with a pesky groin injury, putting even more pressure on their other Italian forward – Federico Bernardeschi – to carry the creative burden. It might mean little, though, if Toronto's defense continues to squander leads (which they have in each MLS matchday so far).
Miami: What’s the Gregore replacement plan? This is Miami’s first game with their captain since he suffered a long-term foot injury (six-month recovery) last weekend. The Brazilian d-mid is so, so important to the Herons’ ceiling in 2023.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Chicago: Can Chris Brady recover from last weekend’s howler? The 19-year-old homegrown goalkeeper definitely wants the late game-winner back from Chicago’s 1-0 loss at Philly. The US youth international has big shoes to fill after Gaga Slonina’s transfer to Chelsea.
Cincinnati: Is Obinna Nwobodo the best d-mid in MLS? Cincy would say there’s an argument to be made, and it’s certainly a valid one considering the ball-winning impact their Nigerian DP has had since arriving last April. Also, this question lets me plug today's feature by my colleague Charles Boehm.
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Dallas: Nearly a month ago, FC Dallas acquired striker Jesús Jiménez in a trade with Toronto FC (as homegrown midfielder Brandon Servania went the other way). The Spaniard is finally eligible to debut and head coach Nico Estévez is talking about using a two-forward system. If that comes to pass, the idea of Jesús Ferreira in a shadow striker role underneath Jiménez with Paul Arriola + Alan Velasco out wide is certainly intriguing.
Kansas City: SKC lead MLS in shots (58), shots on goal (26) and key passes (48) but have no goals to prove for it – and their three DP attackers remained sidelined. All that creative energy will likely pay off at some point, right? With SKC carrying a 264-minute shutout streak on defense, the offense has to respond in kind.
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Houston: Héctor Herrera, so far, is living up to his DP tag in 2023. But the Dynamo need more than the Mexican international and Atletico Madrid/Porto alum to turn things around. Just ask new coach Ben Olsen, who addressed Herrera’s form before their Shell Energy Stadium opener: “We've got a lot of players around him that now need to, in some ways, step up to the level that I think he's been at the last two games.”
Austin: Are we going to see a CCL hangover from Austin? That 3-2 aggregate series loss to Haiti’s Violette AC is in the history books for all the wrong reasons, a few steps past the “disappointing” label head coach Josh Wolff used in his postgame press conference midweek. If the Verde & Black answer the critics, they’ll move to three league wins in a row.
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
St. Louis: Does more history await? CITY SC, league leaders via three straight consecutive comeback victories, can become the first expansion club in MLS history to win each of their first four games. This all comes after most pundits (including those on this website) predicted they’d be destined for the Western Conference basement. Sustainability TBD, but this start is incredible.
San Jose: How underrated is Cristian Espinoza? That’s a one-word answer: extremely. The Argentine has provided a goal or assist in each of the Earthquakes’ first three games this season, including back-to-back wins under new head coach Luchi Gonzalez. Espinoza is All-Star-level good.
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 9:30 pm ET
Colorado: Will the goal dam finally burst? Colorado have gone three straight games without scoring a goal to start the 2023 season. Only two teams, the 2015 Rapids and 2007 Toronto FC, have started a season with four straight goalless games. There are some talented pieces on this roster, but it’s not fully clicking yet.
Minnesota: Canada’s future No. 1 loading? Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is on Canada's roster for Concacaf Nations League games later this month, likely as the No. 2 behind Milan Borjan. While the 35-year-old won’t exactly hand off his starting role, St. Clair has the talent to become Les Rouges’ full-fledged starter for the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Let that pathway begin.
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
LA: Will Riqui Puig find some freedom? Opponents are clearly game-planning around the Spanish playmaker and FC Barcelona product, who entered the season with confident statements about becoming an MLS MVP. The Galaxy, still seeking their first win of 2023, need Puig to pull the strings in their home opener.
Vancouver: Can they stop another slow start? It’s entirely possible that Vancouver end this weekend with one point through four league games, even though they’re into the CCL quarterfinals. Starting strong was a huge point of emphasis for Vanni Sartini’s group entering 2023, but there’s a real threat that history repeats itself.
