LA Galaxy Starting XI

Brian Rowe; A.J. DeLaGarza, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole; Jeff Larentowicz, Nigel de Jong; Giovani dos Santos, Steven Gerrard, Sebastian Lletget; Robbie Keane ©

Substitutions 

Dan Kennedy, Leonardo, Dave Romney, Baggio Husidic, Mike Magee, Emmanuel Boateng, Alan Gordon

Lineup Notes

• LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena will start a near top-choice lineup Sunday at StubHub Center, making just one change from his previous starting XI from last week’s 1-1 draw with Seattle: Sebastian Lletget starts in place of Emmanuel Boateng.
• Bruce Arena enters the match with a 199-118-82 record all time as an MLS coach. With a win Sunday against the New York Red Bulls, Arena would become just the second coach in MLS history with 200 wins, joining former Sounders coach Sigi Schmid.
• LA Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe is set to make his 20^th start and his 21^st appearance in MLS this season Sunday against NY. This year, the fifth-year Galaxy ‘keeper has had his most successful season and has been one of the best goalkeepers in MLS. Rowe is third in GAA (.86), third in saves (78) and tied for second in shutouts (6).
• On the right side of defense, the versatile A.J. DeLaGarza gets the nod. With 195 appearances for the Galaxy, DeLaGarza has made more appearances for LA than any other player on the roster.
• In the center of defense, steady defender Daniel Steres continues his stellar year in the starting XI. After featuring in USL the past three seasons – earning three-straight All-USL selections and being named the LA Galaxy II Defender of the Year in the past two seasons – Steres has been one of Bruce Arena’s most reliable defender since signing this offseason.
• Big, bald and Belgian, Jelle Van Damme continues his incredible season Sunday with his 19^th start of the season. Van Damme is playing his way into MLS Best XI and Defender of the Year status with consistent play all year.
• Ashley Cole gets the nod on the left side of defense. Cole has arguably been MLS’ best left back when playing this year. In addition to his quick success in MLS, Cole has also excelled in defeating a bunch of 10 year olds.
• Patrolling the center of the field, MLS veteran Jeff Larentowicz starts for the Galaxy, making his 301^st all-time MLS start. Larentowicz does all the little things right and has been a huge part in the Galaxy’s success since switching to a 4-2-3-1 lineup.
• Alongside Larentowicz is Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong in what is one of the strongest central-midfield partnerships in MLS. De Jong and Larentowicz have dictated play in the center of the pitch recently.
• On the right the charming and talented Giovani dos Santos makes his 18^th start of the year. Dos Santos has been a consistent playmaker for LA, recording seven goals and seven assists on the season.
• Pulling the strings in the center of the field, English legend Steven Gerrard makes his 14^th start of the year. Gerrard has tallied three goals and eight assists in 2016. With eight assists in just 15 appearances, Gerrard has the highest assists/90 minutes in MLS (.65).
• On the left side of the midfield, Da’ Boy Sebastian Lletget gets the nod following his late equalizing goal in Seattle last week. In July, Lletget tallied three goals in all competitions, scoring twice in the Galaxy’s 4-2 USOC quarterfinal win before last weekend’s goal.
• Up top, astonishingly handsome Irishman Robbie Keane makes his 12^th start of the season. Keane is really good at playing soccer and scoring goals. All time MLS stats: 119 appearances, 80 goals, 44 assists, 23 game-winning goals, 16 game-winning assists, 19 multi-goal games.

Additional lineup notes

• Forward Gyasi Zardes misses his second-straight match with a pectoral muscle strain

Game Notes

• All time, the Galaxy are 16-18-7 against the New York Red Bulls in MLS play, including 9-6-4 in matches played at home.
• The Galaxy’s +15 goal differential this year is the best in MLS and their 20 goals allowed are second-fewest in MLS.
• The Galaxy are unbeaten in their last seven MLS matches (6-0-1) and their last nine matches in all competitions (8-0-1).
• The Galaxy have allowed an MLS-low three goals in their last seven MLS matches.
• The Galaxy finished the month of July with a 4-0-1 record in MLS play and have lost just twice in their previous 19 MLS matches.
• This season, the Galaxy are 6-0-4 at StubHub Center, scoring 21 goals while allowing just eight.
• The Galaxy have been one of the most successful MLS teams at home during the last four seasons, scoring 138 total goals at StubHub Center, the most of any team.
• The Galaxy’s home MLS record throughout the last four seasons is 40-5-15, with 138 goals for and just 44 against.
• Since 2014, the Galaxy have only lost five of their previous 60 MLS games at StubHub Center.
• This year, the LA Galaxy are 6-0-0 when leading at halftime.
• The Galaxy are 6-0-5 when playing on national television in 2016.
• This year, the LA Galaxy are 6-0-0 in matches when Robbie Keane scores.
• Brian Rowe is one of four MLS ‘keepers with a GAA below 1.00 (0.86).
• Bruce Arena has 199 wins heading into Sunday’s game, one away from becoming only the second MLS head coach to reach 200 wins.

Storylines

• Will the Galaxy continue their red-hot form Sunday against NY?
• Will the Galaxy defense continue their dominant run in last seven MLS matches?
• Can Bruce Arena earn his 200^th win against his former team?
• How will NYRB fare without Dax McCarty in the midfield?
• Can the central-midfield partnership of De Jong/Larentowicz continue to control tempo?

Quick hits

• LA-NYRB Preview
• By the numbers
• This is important and you should watch it – The LA Galaxy Ridiculous Soccer Challenge
• MIXTAPE. Enjoy the Galaxy’s best moments of July in this very cool video
• Sunday will be fun. Capacity crowd expected

Quotable

Jelle Van Damme
On the intense rivalry between LA and NY:

• “It’s pretty far away, no?”

Bruce Arena
On LA-NY rivalry:

• “I don’t spend any time worrying about it. I think in any sport, teams in your conference are more of a rival than a team across the country in another conference. Rivalry makes absolutely no sense. You guys put that tag on every team we play anyway, but this is as absurd as most of them.”

A.J. DeLaGarza
On Dax McCarty'

• “He’s kind of their general in the middle, but I’m sure they can fill in just fine. It’s a team that’s really coming together. I think they struggled at the beginning of the year like we have and now we’re two teams that are firing on all cylinders.”