Sportsinator

The marquee game is Chelsea traveling to Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium, and it is the only slate on the board today. Chelsea come in with the better record and are favored on the road, while Brentford will look to make it hard on them and grind out a clean sheet at home rather than get caught chasing the game.

Watch for whether Chelsea can find the net early or if this one stays tight into the closing stretch, with the odds pointing to a competitive, tighter than nil-nil kind of night rather than a blowout.

EPL · 17 Sept · The week ahead

Tonight's marquee slate is thin, but the Hudson River Derby delivers: Red Bull New York heads to Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC, and this all-New York rivalry never needs extra stakes to bring the intensity. NYC FC comes in as the slight favorite at home, but both clubs sit in the thick of the playoff picture, so a sloppy giveaway or a sitter missed in front of net could swing the race.

Watch for a tight, physical draw that only breaks open if someone finds the net on a well-timed through ball late.

MLS · 17 Sept · The week ahead

The World Cup's gone quiet after all that stoppage-time drama, no clean sheets to track and no through balls to admire for now. A new season's on the way eventually, so keep that draw-or-drama energy warm for whenever the pitch lights back up.

World Cup · offseason

The marquee event on the slate is the FIFA World Cup Final, with Argentina taking on Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford tomorrow evening — about as big as football gets. Argentina arrive as defending champions looking to go back-to-back, while Spain will be desperate to deny them and claim the trophy on North American soil.

A nil-nil draw through ninety minutes would push it to extra time, but expect both sides to push for a winner early rather than settle into the kind of cagey affair that ends in penalties.

World Cup · from 18 Jul