Preview: Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Los Angeles FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Western Conference leaders Los Angeles FC make the short trip to Dignity Health Sports Park, where they will face rivals Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday.

The visitors have put together an unbeaten run to begin this season, while LA Galaxy are not too far behind having picked up nine points from their first five matches.

Match preview

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Greg Vanney's side bounced back from back-to-back defeats with a positive 3-1 win against Portland Timbers last weekend, when Bill Poni Tuiloma's own goal added to Javier Hernandez's brace for the visitors.

That was the first time this season that Galaxy have netted three goals in a single game, and they showed good efficiency in the final third, having registered just four shots on target at Providence Park.

After conceding four goals in their two games prior to last Sunday's outing, tightening up their defensive shape would have been pleasing for Vanney, and something they will need to improve on further and take in El Trafico this weekend.

Hernandez has scored four of the side's six goals this season, suggesting that the hosts will look to rely on the 33-year-old as their main attacking threat, but Raheem Edwards will also look to create attacking chances from the left wing.

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Los Angeles FC will arrive at Dignity Health Sports Park full of confidence, having started the season unbeaten, and won their last three consecutive games.

After being pegged back on two occasions last weekend against Orlando City, second-half goals from Ilie Sanchez and Kwadwo Opoku ensured LAFC came away from Florida with a 4-2 win.

Form can sometimes become irrelevant ahead of a derby match as the result will come down to which team shows the most passion on the day, but Steven Cherundolo's side will feel that they have the edge over their hosts.

Los Angeles were not so good away from home last season, picking up half the amount of points on their travels as they did on their own patch, but they have started this campaign in better form and are well on track to beat their away points total from last year.

The previous two meetings between these rivals have been close affairs and ended in draws, with the first meeting of last season going the way of LA Galaxy in a tight 2-1 win in May 2021.

Team News

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Galaxy midfielder Marco Delgado will be forced to sit out of El Trafico this weekend after receiving two yellow cards against Portland last weekend, meaning Daniel Aguirre could come into the starting 11 for the first time this season.

Adam Saldana and Jorge Villafana are nearing their returns from injury, but Sunday's outing is sure to have come too soon for the duo to make their first appearances of the campaign.

Apart from the forced change in midfield, Vanney could name the same starting 11 which defeated the Timbers last weekend, with Efrain Alvarez continuing to lead the line alongside Hernandez.

LAFC's Eddie Segura, Erik Duenas and Franco Escobar are all ruled out of this clash due to injury, but there are no new injury or suspension issues for the visitors.

Cherundolo will set his side up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Brian Rodriguez, Cristian Arango and Carlos Vela making up the forward line, looking to add to the five goals between them this season.

Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:

Bond; Edwards, Williams, DePuy, Leerdam; Grandsir, Aguirre, Raveloson, Cabral; Alvarez, Hernandez

Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:

Crepeau; Palacios, Fall, Murillo, Hollingshead; Ginella, Sanchez, Blessing; Rodriguez, Arango, Vela

We say: Los Angeles Galaxy 1-2 Los Angeles FC

Galaxy will be confident about getting on the scoresheet having netted three times last weekend, but their visitors arrive in good form and full of confidence.

Los Angeles FC have shown no signs as to why they will not come away with three points this weekend, and they are in better scoring form so should be able to outscore their hosts.