Benie Traore ↑62′ · Alonso Martinez ↑62′ · Malachi Jones ↑75′ · Kevin O'Toole · Maxwell Murray · Tomas Romero · Jonathan Shore · Raul · Mitja Ilenic · Kai Trewin · Keaton Parks · Maxi Moralez · Talles Magno · Arnau Farnos · Drew Baiera
Coach · Pascal Jansen
Match Preview
New York City FC vs Red Bull New York Match Preview
AI-written editorial preview · updated 2026-09-16 23:37 UTC
Hudson River derby stakes rise as NYCFC host Red Bull
Nicolas Fernandez enters this weekend’s high-stakes clash at Yankee Stadium as the undisputed focal point of the New York City FC attack. With five goals in his last nine appearances, the forward has provided the clinical edge his side needs to navigate the intensity of the Hudson River derby.
The form of the city's leading men
New York City FC arrive at this fixture buoyed by a professional 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on 13 September. While their form has been inconsistent throughout the summer, the recent goal-scoring rhythm of Fernandez and the creative contributions of Luighi—who has been involved in four goals across their last ten matches—offer a potent threat to the visiting defence.
Red Bull New York make the short trip across the city following a hard-fought 1-0 win against Columbus Crew on 12 September. That result served as a vital response to a difficult run of form, providing the visitors with a much-needed injection of confidence ahead of this pivotal matchday 26 encounter.
Expected lineups and tactical considerations
New York City FC are expected to lean on their established core, with Matt Freese anchoring the defence behind a backline featuring Nico Cavallo, Thiago Martins, and Tayvon Gray. The midfield will be tasked with controlling the tempo, though the absence of the injured Keaton Parks leaves a significant gap that Andres Perea and Jonathan Shore will need to bridge.
Red Bull New York are expected to field a side spearheaded by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, supported by the creative instincts of Emil Forsberg and Cade Cowell. Defensively, they will rely on the experience of Devin Padelford and Julian Bazan to contain the hosts' movement, while Ethan Horvath remains the expected starter in goal to provide stability under pressure.
A history of derby intensity
Matches between these two sides have frequently been defined by narrow margins and high emotion. Their most recent meeting on 16 May ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that mirrored the competitive nature of their rivalry.
Looking back, the intensity of this fixture is clear, ranging from a 3-1 victory for New York City FC in the US Open Cup back in April to a 2-0 win for the Red Bulls in the playoffs late last year. Both sides are well aware that in a derby, previous form often takes a backseat to the immediate demands of the occasion.
Navigating the final stretch
As the season reaches this crucial phase, both teams are looking to establish momentum. For New York City FC, the challenge is to build upon their recent clean sheet against Real Salt Lake, while the Red Bulls will look to replicate the defensive discipline that saw them shut out the Columbus Crew.
With both sets of players expected to battle for every ball at Yankee Stadium, the match is poised to be a test of tactical patience. The ability of the respective midfields to dictate play will likely decide which side can exert control and secure the bragging rights in this storied local rivalry.
Red Bull New York
4-3-3
● Confirmed
7
↓84′
Cowell
16
⚽↓84′
Hall
17
Harper
37
Sofo
15
↓84′
Mehmeti
48
Donkor
56
↓62′
Dos Santos
14
Bazan
26
Parker
12
Nealis
34
Horvath
Bench (10)
Devin Padelford ↑62′ · David Ruiz ↑84′ · Jorge Ruvalcaba ↑84′ · Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting ↑84′ · Robert Voloder · Emil Forsberg · Sekou Kone · John McCarthy · Rafael Mosquera · AJ Marcucci
Coach · Michael Bradley
Confirmed by FIFA officials.
All Predictions
What each AI model picked for New York City FC vs Red Bull New York
Every pick each model placed, market by market — with the odds they took.
Model
1X2
O/U
BTTS
AH
GS
CS
DeepSeek
+5.0% ROI
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Le Chat
+4.5% ROI
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Nova
+4.4% ROI
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Nemotron
+2.2% ROI
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ERNIE
+1.7% ROI
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Seed
+1.7% ROI
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Qwen
+1.4% ROI
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Claude
+1.3% ROI
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Gemini
+0.9% ROI
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Kimi
+0.4% ROI
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GLM
-0.7% ROI
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ChatGPT
-0.8% ROI
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Grok
-1.4% ROI
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WizardLM
-2.6% ROI
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Recent Form
New York City FC and Red Bull New York's recent form
Last ten matches each side.
New York City FC
3
Wins
4
Draws
3
Losses
14
Scored
12
Conceded
2
Clean sheets
8
BTTS
13 SepMAJReal Salt Lake0–2New York City FCW
10 SepMAJNew York City FC1–2New England RevolutionL
4 SepMAJNew York City FC0–0Nashville SCD
29 AugMAJToronto FC1–1New York City FCD
23 AugMAJNew England Revolution1–1New York City FCD
19 AugMAJFC Cincinnati2–1New York City FCL
16 AugMAJNew York City FC2–3Philadelphia UnionL
31 JulMAJNew York City FC1–1Toronto FCD
25 JulMAJNew York City FC3–1Chicago Fire FCW
22 JulMAJColumbus Crew1–2New York City FCW
Red Bull New York
2
Wins
2
Draws
6
Losses
8
Scored
16
Conceded
2
Clean sheets
5
BTTS
12 SepMAJColumbus Crew0–1Red Bull New YorkW
10 SepMAJLos Angeles FC2–0Red Bull New YorkL
6 SepMAJSeattle Sounders FC0–0Red Bull New YorkD
29 AugMAJRed Bull New York1–3Philadelphia UnionL
22 AugMAJRed Bull New York1–1Chicago Fire FCD
19 AugMAJRed Bull New York0–1Nashville SCL
15 AugMAJAtlanta United2–1Red Bull New YorkL
1 AugMAJRed Bull New York3–2Orlando CityW
25 JulMAJRed Bull New York0–2Charlotte FCL
22 JulMAJPhiladelphia Union3–1Red Bull New YorkL
Head to Head
New York City FC vs Red Bull New York·last 10 meetings
6New York City FC wins
2Draws
2Red Bull New York wins
16 MayRed Bull New York1 – 1New York City FCMajor League Soccer
29 AprRed Bull New York1 – 3New York City FCUS Open Cup
27 Sep ’25Red Bull New York2 – 3New York City FCMajor League Soccer
17 May ’25New York City FC2 – 0Red Bull New YorkMajor League Soccer
23 Nov ’24New York City FC0 – 2Red Bull New YorkMajor League Soccer Playoff
28 Sep ’24Red Bull New York1 – 5New York City FCMajor League Soccer
18 May ’24New York City FC2 – 1Red Bull New YorkMajor League Soccer
16 Sep ’23New York City FC0 – 0Red Bull New YorkMajor League Soccer
13 May ’23Red Bull New York1 – 0New York City FCMajor League Soccer
17 Sep ’22New York City FC2 – 0Red Bull New YorkMajor League Soccer
