The Red Bulls have lost only three of their last 20 league matches against expansion sides dating back to the 2011 season (W13 D4), though New York did lose its last MLS match against a newcomer, falling, 2–1, at home to Inter Miami in October 2020.
Charlotte dismissed manager Miguel Ángel Ramirez after just 14 games despite getting off to a solid start. Charlotte’s 16 points after 14 games puts them in the middle of the pack, sixth, among the 13 MLS expansion teams since 2010.
New York’s strong start this season has been almost solely based on its away form. The Red Bulls tied the MLS record for the most consecutive road wins to begin a season (5) and have taken 69.6% of their points on the road in 2022 (16/23).
Charlotte’s offensive struggles have come mostly from their issues in the box. Charlotte has scored a league-low nine goals in the box despite ranking near the middle of the pack in attempts in the box.
Lewis Morgan has been one of the best acquisitions of the winter, leading the Red Bulls with six goals in 2022. Morgan impacts the attack in multiple ways as he has attempted 320 open play crosses since joining MLS in 2020, more than any other player in that time.
