After a nine-game run without an MLS loss earlier this year, the perplexing New England Revolution have followed with nine straight matches without a win.
When New England (6-11-7, 25 points) plays host to another ice-cold team, D.C. United (4-14-7, 19 points), the Revolution hope to get a much-needed lift from one of their stars of the past on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.
Matt Turner, who was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for the Revolution in 2021, has returned after a four-year stint in Europe. Turner, 31, is on a one-year loan from French club Olympique Lyonnais.
Turner moved to Premier League powerhouse Arsenal in 2022, but there and at two other stops in the league, he struggled to hold a starting job.
“My European adventure didn’t go perfectly to plan, but I did learn a lot along the way,” Turner said. “Had some misfortunes, had some opportunities that I didn’t make the most of.”
It’s uncertain what role Turner will play on Saturday.
“He brings confidence, the intangibles, that’s huge,” embattled Revs coach Caleb Porter said. “The winning feeling, the confidence, experience, and that leadership, those are the things that I think you’ll see.”
In addition to its nine-game winless streak, New England has gone 0-6-2 in its last eight matches at home across all competitions. The Revolution will look to Carles Gil (eight goals, seven assists) to reverse the tide.
Also anxious for a turnaround is D.C. United. Since upsetting FC Cincinnati 2-1 on May 31, D.C. has a nine-match winless streak (0-8-1) in all competitions.
In their lone meeting this year on May 28 in Washington, the Revolution and D.C. United played to a 1-1 draw.
New England will get its first look at D.C.’s top scorer Christian Benteke (eight goals), who missed the first meeting and finally appears to have recovered from an assortment of leg injuries. Benteke has goals in each of D.C.’s last two matches.
“He looks sharp, and he looks fit,” D.C. coach Kevin Flanagan said. “I think everybody knows what he means to us as a club and having him on the pitch this weekend, leading the line, gives everybody in the squad that extra bit of confidence.”
–Field Level Media
