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• San Jose Earthquakes v Real Salt Lake: Russell targets strong finish at home

  Ian Russell says San Jose Earthquakes are determined to get a positive result in their final home game as they welcome Real Salt Lake to PayPal Park in MLS.

  San Jose are looking to finish a disappointing season strongly and snapped a five-game winless streak with their 3-2 win over FC Dallas in midweek.

  No matter the results in their final two matches, they will finish bottom of the Western Conference, but Russell is determined to give the fans something to celebrate before the end of the season.

  "We want to finish the season strong; we know it's not been a great year," Russell said.

  "We're not hiding from that, and we want to give the fans something to be happy about in this last home game.

  "I can tell you that they will work hard and try to get three points."

  Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake are pushing for the highest position they can, having already secured their playoff place.

  They are unbeaten in their last four outings, though they have drawn their previous three matches, including a 0-0 draw with Minnesota United on Wednesday.

  With the postseason edging closer, Pablo Mastroeni is looking to tidy up some issues to get the team ready for the playoffs.

  "It's important to improve with every game, and that's the mindset to have," Mastroeni said.

  "From an offensive standpoint, we need to be more dangerous in the box and threaten back lines more.

  "It's about improving in the areas where you're efficient, but going into the playoffs we have to be steely defensively, and now we've got to make these things happen."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza

  Cristian Espinoza recorded his 13th assist of the season on Wednesday, his fourth different MLS regular season with at least 13 assists.

  He is one of six players in MLS history with at least four such seasons, joining Carlos Valderrama and Preki (both five), and Carles Gil Luciano Acosta and Landon Donovan (all four).

  Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango

  Cristian Arango has not scored in any of his last six regular-season appearances for Real Salt Lake, last finding the net in league play on July 6.

  This equals Arango's longest goalscoring drought in MLS play, also failing to score in six straight games in April-May 2022.

  MATCH PREDICTION: REAL SALT LAKE WIN

  San Jose have won six of their last nine home matches against Real Salt Lake (D2 L1). RSL's 4-3 win at PayPal Park in September 2021 is their only win at San Jose since April 2015.

  However, San Jose snapped a five-match winless run (D1 L4) with a 3-2 victory over Dallas on Wednesday. It marked the sixth consecutive match, and the 25th time overall the Earthquakes have allowed multiple goals in a match this season, equaling the MLS single-season record set by Orlando City in 2018.

  Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake have won only one of their last 12 away matches in all competitions (D6 L5) dating back to the beginning of May. RSL have allowed at least three goals in six of those 12 matches.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  San Jose Earthquakes – 27.9%

  Draw – 24.2%

  Real Salt Lake – 47.9%

• Maresca: Chelsea 'not ready' to complete for trophies with Man City and Arsenal

  Enzo Maresca says that Chelsea "are not ready" to compete for major trophies against Manchester City and Arsenal this season.

  The Blues have made a strong start to life under Maresca, losing just two of their 10 matches so far.

  They are currently on a five-match winning run in all competitions, most recently seeing off Gent 4-2 in their Conference League opener on Thursday.

  So far, Chelsea have scored 27 goals under the Italian, with 15 of those coming in the league, outperforming their 12.2 expected goals (xG), and only failed to score in their opening Premier League match against City.

  However, Maresca has insisted people should not get carried away by Chelsea's recent form, playing down their chances of lifting any silverware this campaign.

  "I really don't think we can compete with City or Arsenal," Maresca said.

  "I really don't think that, because we are not ready. The reason is that City has worked with the same manager for nine years and Arsenal for five years. If you want to compete for big things, you need that time.

  "After Arsenal beat PSG [in the Champions League] they asked Luis Enrique, and he said the same thing, that Arsenal have had the same manager for five years and [PSG] only a year and a half.

  "Imagine us, only three months… so it's a huge difference. So, I am really convinced we cannot compete with those clubs."

  Before Maresca's appointment, Mauricio Pochettino only spent a season at Stamford Bridge, while Graham Potter before him was only in the position for just under seven months.

  After another busy transfer window for Chelsea saw them bring in 13 players, Maresca has urged for patience as they continue to find their footing in the early stages of his tenure.

  "The target is to improve and slowly, slowly to get closer to those clubs but at the moment we are not ready for that," he added.

  “There is no timeframe because you can continue to improve and add solutions to things always.”

  Chelsea face Nottingham Forest at home on Sunday in their final match before the international break. 

• Ten Hag's future 'not my call', says Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe

  Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe says he does not hold power over the future of boss Erik ten Hag, amid the Red Devils' woeful start to the season.

  United have taken just seven points from their first six Premier League matches, only beating Fulham and Southampton while suffering back-to-back 3-0 home defeats versus Liverpool and Tottenham.

  That is their joint-worst return through six games of any season in the competition, having made identical starts under David Moyes in 2013-14 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020-21.

  In the Europa League, meanwhile, United were pegged back in a 1-1 draw at home to Feyenoord on matchday one then squandered a 2-0 lead in Thursday's 3-3 draw at Porto.

  Those results have led to fierce criticism coming Ten Hag's way, but Ratcliffe says United's new football hierarchy will make any decisions regarding the Dutchman's future.

  Asked if he retained faith in Ten Hag, who signed a new contract in pre-season, Ratcliffe told BBC Sport: "I don't want to answer that question.

  "I like Erik. I think he's a very good coach but at the end of the day it's not my call.

  "It's the management team that's running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.

  "But that team that's running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren't there in January, February, March or April – [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [sporting director] Dan Ashworth – they only arrived in July.

  "They've only been there… you can count it in weeks almost - they've not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.

  "Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it's not there yet, obviously – that's very clear."

  United go to Aston Villa for their next Premier League game on Sunday, having won 40 Premier League games against the Villans, with only the Red Devils themselves beating an opponent more often in the competition's history (41 versus Everton).

  Villa have won just one of their last 25 Premier League home games against United (eight draws, 16 losses), with that victory coming in Unai Emery's first game in charge of the club in November 2022 (3-1).