LINEUPS: As expected, the Sounders are heavily rotating the lineup. Among the new starters are Georgi Minoungou, who is making his first career MLS start while joining on a short-term loan. Sota Kitahara is also getting his second MLS start, but first start at right back, a position he’s played sparingly.

RSL is countering with a lineup that is very close to first choice.

No road stadium has been less kind to the Seattle Sounders than what is now called America First Field. The Sounders have only emerged victorious from Real Salt Lake’s home stadium on three occasions, and have gone 1-11-4 there in regular-season play. That win came way back in 2011 and they’ve gone 0-10-3 there ever since, which doesn’t even include their 3-0 loss that came during last season’s Leagues Cup group stage.

On paper, this does not look like the year the Sounders will end that streak. RSL come into the match sitting atop the Western Conference and riding an eight-game unbeaten streak. They are led by MVP contender Chicho Arango, who already has 11 goals and seven assists.

The Sounders have compiled a comparatively modest four-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, but will almost certainly be heavily rotating their lineup after playing on Sunday with another match this coming Saturday.

Notes

Despite their woeful away record, the Sounders are a perfectly respectable 13-15-6 against RSL overall. That includes a tie in their last regular-season game in Utah.
Raúl Ruidíaz is currently sixth in MLS with seven goals, already eclipsing his total from last year.
Georgi Minoungou and Kalani Kossa-Rienzi were both signed to short-term loans for this game. It is the second short-term loan for each and MLS rules allow them to be called up four times before they must be signed to a first-team contract.
Danny Musovski will be playing his first game against his former RSL teammates.