HANOVER -- The New York Red Bulls and New York City F.C. (NYCFC) have played two wildly different games against each other in 2016. The Red Bulls demolished NYCFC in a 7-0 victory on May 21, and then NYCFC claimed its first victory of the Hudson River Derby in a 2-0 win on July 3.

The rivalry will come to Red Bull Arena on Sunday for the first time this season. NYCFC enters Sunday's match as the first-place team in the Eastern Conference with a 9-6-6 record.

The Red Bulls will be looking to claim the season-series with a victory, and here is what they need to do to beat NYCFC on Sunday:

Win the ball possession battle

The estimated temperature at kickoff is 93 degrees fahrenheit, and the Red Bulls need to ensure that NYCFC is chasing them around the field. It sounds simple and, even though ball possession isn't a key indicator of who wins a game, the fatigue effects from the heat are doubled if one team is constantly chasing the ball.

NYCFC's players are a bit older on average, and the Red Bulls should be able to wear NYCFC out late in the game if they force them to chase the ball.

"It's all going to come down to how good we are on the ball and how much we can make them run without the ball," Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan said told reporters after Friday's practice. "The more possessions we have, the more chances we have to string 10 or 20 passes together to make them chase the game. That will wear them down eventually."

Limit Lampard and handle Harrsion

NYCFC midfielder Frank Lampard has scored a goal in each of his last three games, and winger Jack Harrison has given NYCFC a boost since he was placed into the starting lineup. Harrison burned the Red Bulls in the previous matchup, and he will have more space on the wing on a wider field at Red Bull Arena.

Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said defender Connor Lade will be tasked with defending Harrison on Sunday. The Red Bulls will already be tasked with stopping David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, and they can't let Lampard continue his impressive stretch of recent play.

"You can't deny that Lampard has found himself again," Kljestan said after practice on Friday. "It's on us midfielders to be prepared for him to make those runs into the box and just try not to let him have any open shots."

Press effectively

NYCFC likes to play out of their backline, and the Red Bulls' press can create havoc. The Red Bulls will have to effectively execute their press and pick their spots, or else the players will expend excessive amounts of energy and wear themselves out in the heat.

"We want to suffocate them, make sure they don't have time and space on the ball," Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty told reporters after Friday's training session. "If you give guys like Lampard and Pirlo time and space on the ball in the midfield, they're going to kill you."

Alex Muyl has to step up

Red Bulls forward Gonzalo Veron will be left in the dust as midfielder Alex Muyl will likely get the start on Sunday. Muyl's defensive ability and high work rate will help the Red Bulls win the ball possession battle, and he has a chance to have a breakout game on Sunday.

"[Muyl] will fit the game and help us in that part of the field because he can cover ground," Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said on Friday. "He still has quality, too. He understands how to fit into what we do."

Daniel Falkenheim may be reached at DFalkenheim@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Thefalkon. Find NJ.com on Facebook.