New York City FC centre-back Thiago Martins accepts his side must improve their away form, starting with this weekend's trip to Eastern Conference rivals Toronto FC.
City enter Saturday's contest at BMO Field sitting fourth in the East following back-to-back home victories against Nashville SC and FC Dallas.
Nick Cushing's side are unbeaten in nine home league games stretching back into last season, but they have taken just two points from a possible 12 on their travels this term.
With a run of four successive road games to come, Martins is eager for NYCFC to get off the mark with their first away victory.
"It's not easy, but we need to impose ourselves away from home," he said. "We know away from home they press higher, they have the atmosphere, the stadium, the fans.
"We need to be brave and play the same way we play when we play with our fans in our stadium.
"We played very well last week, but if you want to be a good team, a top team, we need to play like last week away from home. It's difficult, but we need to impose ourselves."
Toronto are six points worse off than NYCFC after winning just one of their opening nine matches, with a league-high six of those games finishing all square.
The Canadian club's seven-game unbeaten run was ended by the Philadelphia Union last week, but midfielder Jonathan Osorio hopes the visit of NYCFC can prove a turning point.
"We're trying to figure it out," he said. "This season has been a weird one to really put your finger on. We're just trying to figure out how we can take the next step.
"The guys are together, speaking, letting their opinions out and seeing where we can move forward and get better. The guys in the locker room care.
"We'll be working really hard this week to figure it out and put it all together to put in a much better performance on Saturday in front of our home crowd."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto FC – Jonathan Osorio
Osorio assisted both of Toronto's goals in last week's loss in Philadelphia, though those goals from Lorenzo Insigne and Richie Laryea came after the Reds had fallen 4-0 behind.
He completed 105 passes in that match, making him the only player since such data was first recorded in 2010 to complete at least 100 passes and assist multiple goals in an MLS game.
New York City FC – Santiago Rodriguez
Rodriguez notched his second and third MLS goals of the season in last week's victory against FC Dallas to move within one goal of his career-best tally from 2022.
It marked the first time the 23-year-old had scored more than once in a single MLS match, having netted just twice in his past 17 games in the competition (including playoffs).
MATCH PREDICTION – NYCFC WIN
NYCFC have won just two of their past 10 away matches, compared to eight victories in their past 10 at home.
Toronto are unbeaten in four successive games at BMO Field, meanwhile, and have lost there just twice in their past 11 outings.
But City have lost just five of their 18 regular-season games against Toronto, including only one of the past five, and will see this as a good chance to pick up a rare road win.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto FC – 31.5 per cent
New York City FC – 39.9 per cent
Draw – 28.6 per cent
Dundee 1-2 Celtic: Forrest braces restores Hoops' three-point lead at SPL summit
James Forrest scored twice as Celtic regained their three-point cushion at the Scottish Premiership summit with a narrow 2-1 victory over Dundee.
Rangers had applied the pressure earlier in the day with a 2-1 win at St Mirren, moving Philippe Clement's side level on points with the Hoops.
Although, Celtic did not twitch with Forrest volleying them ahead on the half-hour mark, before doubling their lead in the 67th minute.
Antonio Portales pulled a goal back for Dundee seven minutes later with his first league strike of the season, but the visitors held on to pull clear at the top once more with five games remaining.
Data debrief
Returning to the starting line-up today, Forrest's double separated the sides as he found the net more than once in a game for the first time since scoring a hat-trick against Hibernian in October 2022.
Celtic have now won their last 10 league matches against Dundee and are unbeaten in 43 meetings overall since a 2-0 defeat in May 2001, only enjoying a longer such streak against Dumbarton (50).
Rybakina eases past Sherif to reach Madrid Open last 16
Elena Rybakina cruised past Mayar Sherif in straight sets to reach the last 16 of the Madrid Open on Sunday.
World number four Rybakina rarely looked like being troubled by Sherif, easing to a 6-1 6-4 triumph, winning 22 of her 26 first-serve points on her way to victory.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion broke Sherif's serve twice in the first set to gain control of the match, before holding her serve five times in the second to ensure victory.
Also into the last 16 in Madrid are Yulia Putintseva and Daria Kasatkina, who beat Caroline Dolehide and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova respectively, both in straight sets. However, world number seven and reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is out after she was upset by Mirra Andreeva, losing 7-5 6-1.
Data debrief
In reaching the Madrid Open last 16, Rybakina again showed her class on clay. Her victory over Sherif saw her become only the fourth player in the last 10 years to win 14 straight WTA matches on clay, alongside Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Iga Swiatek.
Additionally, Rybakina's 475 winners at WTA-1000 events in 2024 are 112 more than the next best, Danielle Collins with 363.
Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal: Gunners hold off late fightback to boost title hopes
Arsenal survived a late scare to move four points clear at the Premier League summit following a 3-2 win at rivals Tottenham in Sunday's north London derby.
The Gunners cruised into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to an own goal from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg along with Bukayo Saka's strike and Kai Havertz's header.
Yet a second-half collapse looked to be on the cards when Cristian Romero punished David Raya’s error before Son Heung-min pulled another back from the spot. However, the Gunners ultimately held on.
Arsenal, at least temporarily, tightened their grip on top spot ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who play the first of their two games in hand against Nottingham Forest later on Sunday, while Tottenham remain seven points off the top four in fifth.
The Gunners broke through after 15 minutes when Hojbjerg inadvertently nodded Saka’s inswinging corner beyond Guglielmo Vicario at his near post.
Spurs responded, and after Romero headed against the post, Micky van de Ven thought he had levelled when he slotted home from close range. However, the decision to award the goal was overturned following a VAR review with the defender adjudged to be offside.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 27th minute following a swift counter that saw Havertz pick out Saka, who cut inside before slotting past Vicario.
Havertz then got in on the act before half-time, heading home Declan Rice’s corner from inside the six-yard box.
Yet an error by Raya gifted Spurs a lifeline after the break, when Romero pounced on the goalkeeper’s poor clearance to reduce the hosts’ arrears.
Matters were made more fraught for the Gunners late on, when a VAR check confirmed a penalty should be awarded to Spurs for Rice’s foul on Ben Davies.
Son lashed a brilliant spot-kick into the left-hand corner, yet a late Spurs onslaught ultimately came to nothing, as the Gunners secured another big win.
Saka shines in the derby limelight
The destiny of the Premier League title may be in Man City’s hands, but Arsenal are still very much in the hunt after a second London derby victory this week.
Mikel Arteta’s side, who thumped Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday, have bounced back brilliantly from their defeat to Aston Villa two weeks ago, scoring 10 goals in three games while conceding just twice.
After his corner led to the opening goal, Saka doubled the lead with his 15th league strike of this term – his most in a single season – while he became the first English player to score home and away for Arsenal against Tottenham in a single campaign since Ian Wright 30 years ago (1993-94).
The damage was effectively done when Havertz headed in the Gunners’ 16th goal from a corner this season, the most in a single campaign since West Bromwich Albion in 2016-17 (also 16), though Arteta will have been concerned by their near slip at the end.
Spurs' struggles on home soil continue
The 195th north London derby culminated in Tottenham losing successive home league games against Arsenal for the first time since 1988.
Despite their best efforts in the second half, it was always going to be difficult to turn things around against the side that has now won all 16 matches when leading at half-time this season.
Now without a win in four meetings against their rivals, they have also tasted success just once in five home outings against the Gunners.
With their own title hopes undented by their rivals, Arsenal will hope Tottenham can instead harm City’s chances when they host them on May 14.
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