The New York Red Bulls are clinging to their postseason dreams, and Saturday night's derby clash against bitter rivals New York City FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison could make or break them.
The Red Bulls, who have punched their playoff ticket for 15 straight seasons, now find themselves skating on thin ice. They sit two points shy of the Eastern Conference cut-off with 43 points and just three games left to play, chasing Chicago Fire FC, who already hold 45 points with a game in hand. In other words, there's no margin for error.
On the flip side, NYCFC are licking their wounds after being humbled 4–0 by Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in midweek. But they’re still very much in the mix for a top-four finish, which would secure home-field advantage in the opening round's best-of-three playoff series. That carrot alone should light a fire under Nick Cushing's men as they march into enemy territory.
This isn't just another Hudson River Derby; it's a crossroads. For the Red Bulls, it’s survival mode. For NYCFC, it's about planting a flag in the top tier.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC online - TV channels & live streams
 | Apple TV | Watch here |
In the United States (US) and worldwide, MLS match between New York Red Bulls and New York City FC will be available to watch and stream online live on Apple TV, through the MLS Season Pass.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC kick-off time
The MLS match between New York Red Bulls and New York City FC will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, United States.
It will kick off at 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET on Saturday, September 27, in the US.
Team news & squads
New York Red Bulls vs New York City FC lineups
4-2-3-1
Formation
4-4-1-1
NYCNYR-Line up
NYRSubstitutes
Manager
S. Schwarz
NYC-Line up
NYCSubstitutes
Manager
P. Jansen
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
New York Red Bulls team news
Both Designated Players, Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, looked the part last week, combining for 26 goals on the season. Confidence is running high, especially after Tim Parker found the back of the net in their 2–0 win over CF Montreal. Add in the shock factor of none other than Jurgen Klopp overseeing training sessions this week, courtesy of his role with the Red Bull Football Group, and the locker room suddenly feels electric.
The spine of this team will be crucial: Carlos Coronel between the sticks, alongside defensive anchors Noah Eile and Parker, give them the steel to match NYCFC's pace and flair.
But it won't be all smooth sailing. The Red Bulls will likely be without Cameron Harper, AJ Marcucci, and Scotland international Lewis Morgan, thinning their depth in key areas.
New York City FC team news
New York City FC couldn't have scripted a worse midweek nightmare than that 4–0 drubbing at the hands of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. It was a gut punch that halted their hot streak of four wins in five and left the Pigeons scrambling to regain momentum. Now, they'll try to bounce back the hard way, against their fiercest rivals, with a top-four berth in the Eastern Conference still dangling within reach.
The bad news? Their talisman, Alonso Martinez, who's bagged 17 goals and chipped in two assists, is sidelined with injury. That leaves summer signing Nicolas Fernandez Mercau shouldering more of the creative and finishing burden. The silver lining, though, might be in net, Matt Freese was sensational against Miami despite the scoreline, pulling off several acrobatic saves that at least prevented further embarrassment. If NYCFC's attack sputters, Freese's gloves could be their lifeline.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom before Messi's masterclass. NYCFC snapped Charlotte FC's record-tying nine-game win streak in style, proving they can hang with the league’s best. They also boast one of the stingiest backlines in MLS, with only 39 goals conceded, ranking 10th in the league. Still, injuries are piling up: along with Martínez, Nico Cavallo, Malachi Jones, and Keaton Parks are all expected to miss the derby.
Form
NYR-Form
NYRCF Montreal
0
-
2
New York Red Bulls
W
Portland Timbers
2
-
1
New York Red Bulls
L
New York Red Bulls
0
-
0
Columbus Crew
D
Charlotte FC
1
-
0
New York Red Bulls
L
New York Red Bulls
1
-
0
Philadelphia Union
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 4/3
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 1/5
- Both teams scored
- 1/5
NYC-Form
NYCNew York City FC
0
-
4
Inter Miami CF
L
New York City FC
2
-
0
Charlotte FC
W
New York City FC
3
-
2
Columbus Crew
W
Chicago Fire FC
1
-
3
New York City FC
W
New York City FC
1
-
2
DC United
L
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 9/9
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 4/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5
Head-to-Head Record
NYRLast 5 matches
NYC1
Win
1
Draw
3
Wins
New York City FC
2
-
0
New York Red Bulls
New York City FC
0
-
2
New York Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls
1
-
5
New York City FC
New York City FC
2
-
1
New York Red Bulls
New York City FC
0
-
0
New York Red Bulls
Goals scored
9- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 2/5