Red Bulls-Galaxy Preview

The New York Red Bulls have kept their focus on the MLS campaign instead of another competition, and that has paid off with an unbeaten September.

The Red Bulls, though, are winless in their last six road games and face a formidable challenge in their attempt to end that drought Sunday night against the surging Los Angeles Galaxy.

New York (10-8-11) chose to keep some of its usual starters off the field - most notably MLS goal scoring leader Bradley Wright-Phillips, Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill - in a visit to El Salvador on Wednesday for CONCACAF Champions League group play. The Red Bulls were eliminated from the competition with a scoreless draw against CD FAS.

Coach Mike Petke also rested those same players in a 1-0 CONCACAF loss in Montreal on Sept. 17 before putting them back in the lineup for a 4-1 win over Seattle in league play last Saturday. Wright-Phillips had a hat trick, and Cahill scored the final goal.

Wright-Phillips, Henry and Cahill should be on the field Sunday for a team that's 3-0-1 in its last four league games but 0-3-3 in their past six away from home, its longest such winless stretch since 2012. The Red Bulls blew a 2-0 lead in their latest road game Sept. 13 against Philadelphia and settled for a 2-all draw.

New York has won 1-0 in each of its last two matchups with Los Angeles (15-5-9), including one in California on May 5, 2012. Cahill scored the lone goal in a home victory May 19, 2013.

The Galaxy (15-5-9) might not be so accommodating this time as they seek their longest unbeaten run in three years. They're 6-0-2 in their last eight overall and 10-0-3 at home since a season-opening loss to Real Salt Lake.

"We know it's going to be a battle," Petke said. "If this game's early in the season, it's a road mentality; if we get out of there with a point, great. But obviously with the situation that we're in, we want to get out of there with the full three points, but it's going to be a big task."

While New York is among five teams within five points of each other for the Eastern Conference's final four postseason spots, Los Angeles clinched a playoff berth in the West with a 2-1 win over visiting FC Dallas last Saturday.

"We anticipated being in the playoffs, but it's nice to get that out of the way," coach Bruce Arena said. "Now we need to jockey for a favorable position. Certainly use the next five games to do that."

Robbie Keane provided a goal and an assist last weekend and is making a strong case in the MVP race. He's third in the league with 15 goals and his 14 assists are second only to teammate Landon Donovan.

Wright-Phillips could go a long way to wrapping up that award if he can score four more goals and break the single-season record held by Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski.

The Galaxy haven't gone unbeaten in nine straight since a 14-game run in 2011, and their 13-game unbeaten streak at home is their longest since going 15-0-5 that same season.