Expect New York to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1, with a double pivot shielding a back four that has been shaky. They will try to press high, but their pressing trap has been sprung too easily recently. Nashville, predicted in a 4-3-3, will look to control the midfield through a three-man unit that outnumbers the home side's two. That is the key battleground — the middle of the park. If Nashville's midfield trio can pass through New York's first line of pressure, Mukhtar will find space between the lines to knife through. The Red Bulls will try to hit on the counter, but Nashville's back line is well-drilled and rarely caught out of shape.

Set pieces could be a factor. Nashville have shown they can grind out 1-0 wins, often from dead-ball situations or a single moment of quality. New York, by contrast, have been vulnerable to exactly that kind of sucker punch. The game state is likely to be tight, with Nashville happy to sit in a low block if they take the lead, forcing New York to chase the game. That plays right into Nashville's hands — they are comfortable absorbing pressure and hitting on the break. Expect a disciplined, compact away performance that frustrates the home crowd.