Records can be deceiving this time of year. Toronto FC fans who glance quickly at the standings will see the Seattle Sounders in seventh place in the Western Conference. They will see a team that has won just twice all season.
However, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the defending MLS Cup champions are better than their record, and place in the standings, suggests. A tired Toronto squad without at least four key players will have to be at the top of its game if it is going to come away with any points at CenturyLink Field.