New England encountered some early season downtime last weekend following their week 2 victory over Colorado at Gillette Stadium on March 10. They conclude their interrupted two-match homestand this Saturday against geographical rivals New York City FC, a club many have called a title contender. And on cue, NYCFC’s campaign has started with a bang.
The club earned a decisive 2-0 triumph on the road against perennial playoff fixtures Sporting KC followed by a solid 2-1 win over the visiting LA Galaxy. However, last weekend's 2-0 victory over Orlando City may have been the most impressive, occurring without the services of two starters — one by the name of David Villa.