Game Day Hub: New York City vs New York Red Bulls in New Jersey

It's Matchday 31 – it's head coach Nick Cushing's 100th game at the helm of New York City FC – and the Boys in Blue are crossing state lines to play New York Red Bulls in what is arguably the most consequential Hudson River Derby in history.

These teams are separated by just three points in the MLS Eastern Conference table, and a win from New York City would see them leapfrog their fiercest rivals. Both enter this 29th installment of the Hudson River Derby desperate to snap their respective winless streaks. New York City have gone nine straight MLS matches and six in all competitions since their last win, while the Red Bulls are winless in five MLS matches and seven straight played across all competitions.

NYCFC triumphed in the earlier Hudson River Derby this year, which was also the first one ever played in Queens. That 2-1 win was a high point of the 2024 season, and a part of a three-match week that also included road wins over Toronto FC and Philadelphia Union.

The Red Bulls can clinch a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs with a win (or with a draw and favorable outcomes elsewhere), while New York City could also clinch with a win, but would need a certain mix of other results to break their way to officially clinch.

Going to the game? You'll want to read "Red Bull Arena Hacks: 5 Things you should know." Taking public transit? Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see a handy PATH and NJ Transit schedule.

Red Bull Arena Hacks: 5 Things to know UPDATED

Your guide to all things Harrison: How to get there, where to park, where to drink, what to eat, and why the Red Bulls App will save you.

Hudson River BlueMichael Battista

New York City vs Red Bulls H2H

No team has historically dominated New York City like the Red Bulls. They lead all teams in wins over NYCFC, with 15 (Columbus Crew and Philadelphia Union are second with 11 each), and are second in goals scored, with 46 (Columbus are first with 47). Where the Red Bulls really shine is in goal differential, with a 19 over NYCFC — Portland Timbers are next, with 9, then Charlotte FC and Nashville SC, with 4 each.

The overall history might be one-sided, but recent matchups are more even. New York City have a record of 2W-1D-2L in their last five meetings, with 5 goals scored and 4 goals allowed.

New York City's record at Red Bull Arena is a not-good 2W-2D-12L, with 8 goals scored and 28 goals allowed: NYCFC have been held scoreless in Harrison 7 times, scored one goal 6 times, and managed to find two goals only once. The most recent win was in 2022, when Taty Castellanos scored in a 1-0 victory.

New York City

• Player Availability: Malachi Jones (leg) remains out. Santiago Rodríguez and Strahinja Tanasijević are both suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Keaton Parks, James Sands, and Justin Haak are each one yellow card away from serving a suspension.
• Birk Risa has been missing since he picked up an injury during warmups in DC on September 14, but Nick Cushing said the Norwegian trained all week leading up to this match, so he seems like a decent bet to replace the suspended Tanasijević in central defense.
• With Santi Rodríguez also suspended, can 37-year-old Maxi Moralez conjure up some late-career derby magic? If he plays in Harrison, it will be his 16th Hudson River Derby appearance, which would be the most of any New York City player, surpassing Sean Johnson's 15. Maxi has scored three goals and been credited with two assists against the Red Bulls in those appearances.
• Hannes Wolf and Mounsef Bakrar got the goals when these teams met in May, but neither has been appearing on the scoresheet much of late. Bakrar has one goal in his last nine appearances in all competitions, while Wolf has gone nine straight games without chipping in either a goal or an assist.
• This will be Nick Cushing's fifth time in charge of a NYCFC team traveling to New Jersey to face the Red Bulls. Cushing's teams were shut out in each of their 2023 away derbies.
• Will New York City clinch tonight? They could with a win — and with results going their way elsewhere in the league.

Episode 5: A game that needs no introduction

All the angles of a high-stakes edition of the Hudson River Derby get covered, from the playoff implications for both New York City FC and the Red Bulls, to how New York City might line up while missing key players.

Hudson River BlueHudson River Blue Staff

Red Bulls

• Player Availability: Wiki Carmona (thigh), Kyle Duncan (knee), and Roald Mitchell (knee) are all out. Sean Nealis (thigh) is rated as questionable.
• Emil Forsberg, the 32-year-old Swedish Designated Player who pulls in a $6 million salary, is expected to be available and play some part in this game. Forsberg was out with a foot injury since June 29, when he last appeared and played four minutes for Red Bull in a 2-2 draw with DC United.
• Cameron Harper scored a screamer of a goal in 2024’s first Hudson River Derby in May at Citi Field and he’s been a consistent source of shots on target for Red Bull all season long, though not necessarily a consistent source of goals. Harper is sixth in the league with a 56.8% shooting percentage while also ranking eighth with 1.58 shots on target per 90 minutes, though his last goal came on June 29, with the wide midfielder scoreless in his last nine appearances while sitting on five goals scored for the season.
• Sandro Schwarz's squad excels in the air, as three Red Bull players – Dylan and Sean Nealis plus Noah Eile – rank in the top 10 in MLS for most aerial duels won this season.
• Our Oppo Research will get you even more up to speed on the Red Bulls, with Michael Battista, HRB's resident Red Bull expert, telling all about why they play to so many draws and how injuries and international breaks have impacted this Red Bull squad.

Oppo Research: 5 Things about New York Red Bulls

Michael Battista tells us about the injuries and international breaks that affected the Red Bulls, why they draw so much, and Emil Forsberg’s (possible?) return from injury.

Hudson River BlueMatthew Mangam

PATH | 9/28/24 Schedule
New York City to Harrison

*Transfer at Journal Square
†Depends on wait time at Journal Square

PATH | 9/28/24 Schedule
Harrison to New York City

*Transfer at Journal Square

NJ Transit | 9/28/24 Schedule
New York Penn Station to Newark Penn Station

NJ Transit | 9/28/24 Schedule
Newark Penn Station to New York Penn Station