St. Louis City arrive at this fixture rooted at the foot of the MLS standings, having won just once in their last five and failing to keep a single clean sheet at home all season. Conceding an average of 1.0 per game at home sounds manageable, but the complete absence of clean sheets tells a story of defensive fragility that San Jose are well-placed to exploit.

The Earthquakes are in commanding form, winning four of their last five and carrying a genuinely impressive away record this season. They are averaging 2.2 goals per game on the road while conceding just 0.5, keeping a clean sheet in half of those matches. That combination of clinical attack and defensive solidity is rare in MLS and marks them out as a side operating at a different level to their hosts right now.

With no head-to-head history to lean on, form and league position dominate the picture here. San Jose look undervalued as visitors, and given St. Louis's inability to keep the ball out of their net, this looks like a comfortable night for the league's second-placed side.