New England vs NYCFC preview: How to watch, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch

NYCFC travel to Gillette Stadium to face the top seed New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The Boys In Blue defeated Atlanta 2-0 in the opening round of the playoffs nine days ago to earn their first postseason win since 2018 to earn a date with the Supporters Shield winners.

The winner of this match will face second seed Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference championship on Sunday afternoon.

Team news

New England will have their leading scorer Adam Buksa available after the forward declared himself fit and ready to go. Other than that, the Revolution are fully healthy.

NYCFC will be without a pair of players: Anton Tinnerholm, out with a ruptured Achilles tendon and defender Keaton Parks, who has a lower-body injury.

Predicted lineups

New England: Turner; Jones, Kessler, Farrell, Bye; McNamara, Polster, Buchanan; Buksa, Gil, Bou

NYCFC: Johnson; Amundsen, Callens, Chanot, Gray; Sands, Morales; Moralez; Rodriguez, Castellanos, Medina

Ones to watch

Carles Gil (New England)

A finalist for the MLS MVP award and quite possibly the favorite to win it, leading the league with 18 assists and creating a record 130 chances.

He's found his scoring touch since September, finding the back of the net twice. He's also been particularly effective against NYCFC, registering three assists in two appearances.

Valentin Castellanos (NYCFC)

The Venezuelan was the Golden Boot winner with 19 goals in the regular season and he added another against Atlanta.

He's red-hot at the moment, having scored in five straight matches, with seven goals in that stretch and is the heart of everything the Boys In Blue do well.