USMNT Mar 1-3 viewing guide and open thread: hello MLS

MLS is back in action this weekend with the regular season kicking off, Bundesliga and English Premier League are still in full swing with a handful of games featuring USMNT players and Liga MX action continues as well offering us a pretty full slate of viewing options throughout the weekend so let’s get right to it.

Friday

The week will start out a little slower than one would’ve hoped with reports that Christian Pulisic didn’t travel with Borussia Dortmund for their match at Augsburg (2:30p on FS2). The reports did suggest that Pulisic will be available for the teams Champions League match against Tottenham on Tuesday as the team looks to turn around a 3-0 deficit.

Later Friday the action for the weekend should kick off when Joe Corona’s Tijuana team take on Omar Gonzalez and Atlas. After a fast start to the Clausura Atlas have dropped three straight and now sit in 10th place, Gonzalez continues to see the field regularly for Atlas. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for Corona who has appeared in just three of Tijuana’s seven games since returning from his loan stint.

Saturday

West Ham United v Newcastle - 12:30p on NBCSN

DeAndre Yedlin didn’t make it off the bench mid-week for NewCastles 2-0 win over Burnley but seems likely to retake his position on the field Saturday given the consistent role he’s had with the team over the past two years and the nice game he had against Huddersfield Town last weekend. Newcastle have now won two straight and sit in 13th place in the Premier League. This weekend they will be facing 10th place West Ham United who are coming off a 1-0 loss to Manchester City.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayern Munich - 12:30p on FS2

Kicking off simultaneously over in Germany third place Borussia Monchengladbach will be taking on second place Bayern Munich. Gladbach currently sit 11 points behind league leading Borussia Dortmund so a run at first place doesn’t seem likely but they’ll need to keep winning to ensure themselves a top four position as they are just five points ahead of fifth place Wolfsburg following their 0-3 defeat to the team last weekend. Fabian Johnson has seen relatively limited minutes this season but has started the past two games at right back. Bayern Munich have won their past three league games and continue to apply pressure to Dortmund at the top of the table.

Other Notes

• Eintracht Frankfurt will play Hoffenheim at 9:30a on Fox Deportes. Timothy Chandler continues his return to fitness after a long injury layoff.
• Orlando City and NYCFC kick off their 2019 campaigns at 2:30p on Univision Deportes. Dom Dwyer, Sacha Kljestan, and Danilo Acost are likely to see the field for OCSC while James Sands, Ben Sweat, and Sean Johnson could see time for NYCFC.
• The USWNT will take the field against England in the She Believes Cup at 4:30 on Fox, SSFC will have separate coverage.
• Ventura Alvarado remained out last weekend for Necaxa due to injury. The team faces Cruz Azul this week at 6p on ESPN Deportes.
• The LA Galaxy will face the Chicago Fire at 8p on FS1. Neither Perry Kitchen nor Sebastian Lletget are one of the Galaxy’s 12 Designated Players and both are injured so neither is likely to see the field. There was an exodus of young talent from Chicago this offseason with several young players choosing retirement. The team does still have Djordje Mihailovic who USMNT fans will hope can build on what was a relatively successful January camp after playing limited minutes in 2018 due to an ACL injury.
• The Seattle Sounders will play Cincinnati at 10p on FS1 in Cincinnati's inaugural game in the MLS. Cincinnati looks like they will be taking a defensive approach to the season with their eight defensive mids, a stable which includes Caleb Stanko. Greg Garza should start at left back for the team after moving on from Atlanta. Jordan Morris will be looking to make a comeback for Seattle and will be joined by Cristan Roldan.

Sunday

Fulham v Chelsea - 9:05a on NBCSN

Tim Ream continues to see regular starts for a Fulham side that has lost four straight, seven of eight, and sit second to last in the Premier League with ten games to play. Fulham are a bad team and their 63 goals allowed is eight goals worse than the next worst defense. They are allowing an average of 2.25 goals per game, the only team with a mark worse than 2. Ream will likely start again on Sunday but don’t expect it to be pretty. Fulham will be facing a Chelsea team coming off a 2-0 win over Tottenham and currently sitting in sixth place.

Wolfsburg v Werder Bremen - Noon on FS2

John Brooks was outstanding for Wolfsburg last weekend, picking up his second assist of the season in addition to playing very solid defense as Wolfsburg defeated third place Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0. Wolfsburg are in fifth place in the Bundesliga and will have to hold off several other teams to maintain a finish that would land them a spot in the European competition next season.

Josh Sargent received his first senior start for Werder Bremen last week in the teams 1-1 draw with Stuttgart. The team coughed up an early goal before leveling things out just before halftime. Sargent played 60 minutes but the team was unable to find a winner and had to settle for the draw. Sargent’s role moving forward will likely fluctuate between starter and bench player but the progress continues to be steadily headed in the correct direction.

Other Notes:

• Bobby Wood has been relegated to a bench role but continues to regularly see minutes for Hannover 96 who face Stuttgart in a game that Hannover need to win if they’re going to avoid relegation. The teams play at 9:30a on Sunday in a game that can be seen on Univision Deportes.
• Michael Orozco and Lobos BUAP will face Pumas UNAM at 5p on Univision Deportes.
• Bill Hamid, Paul Arriola, Russel Canouse, and D.C. United will face 2018 MLS playoff winners Atlanta United with Brad Guzan, Michael Parkhurst, and Darlington Nagbe at 6p on ESPN. Keep your eyes out for 17-year-old left back George Bello as well who started Atlanta’s road loss in the CCL but was on the bench for the return trip to Atlanta on Thursday night.
• Sporting KC were also in action on Thursday which could impact the availability of Graham Zusi or Matt Besler on Sunday when the team plays LAFC at 8:30p on ESPN. However, it could also mean some minutes for 16-year-old Gianluca Busio. LAFC will feature Walker Zimmerman and Christian Ramirez as they look to build on the success of their inaugural season.