"I think it's another tough game, there's no doubt about it," said NYCFC Head Coach Patrick Vieira at training ahead of this weekend's match against the Houston Dynamo.
"They're fighting for a spot in the playoffs, the same for us as well," added the gaffer. "We're getting to the last five games of the season, so if we win, the points will be important."
It's a high-stakes match for both squads, of course. Houston sit seventh in the Western Conference standings, level on points with sixth-placed Real Salt Lake, but just outside the picture. For NYCFC, keeping Houston out of the playoffs means keeping their hold on a second-placed finish in the East.