The surprise in the New York Red Bulls’ starting lineup for the first leg of this 2018 MLS Eastern Conference Final was the absence of Kemar Lawrence. And it will be a surprise if Lawrence is present for the second leg. The injury that held him out of the game in Atlanta has held him out of training ever since - if he’s even in the 18-man squad for this match, it will be quite unexpected.
The Athletic’s Kristian Dyer has an idea for how Lawrence might still impact the game, which mostly illustrates why Dyer’s talents are best applied to reporting on the Red Bulls rather than managing their match-day entertainment program.