HANOVER, N.J. – The blushes and results of New York City FC have put a spotlight on their injured players.

Across the river, the New York Red Bulls have carried health issues of their own, but their winning ways continue to mask those concerns.

Lloyd Sam joined a strong list of starters in Ronald Zubar and Roy Miller amongst the Red Bulls’ walking wounded. However, full health seems near as head coach Jesse Marsch expects the trio to be up for selection in this week’s LA Galaxy clash.

“We are still hopeful all three, Ronald, Roy and Lloyd, will be available,” Marsch told reporters. “Lloyd, we are just being extra precautious to make sure we don’t have any setbacks, but he will be back [Thursday] on our day off and he will be in regular training on Friday.”

Fitness concerns continue to be an issue for Zubar and Miller. Zubar has not seen time since his short stint in the season opener against Sporting KC. Roy Miller, meanwhile, injured his knee as preseason came to a close. Both have been training, but Marsch does not believe they are up to 90 minutes of work.

Lloyd Sam, however, is a different story. The English winger suffered a slight hamstring pull against San Jose at home, but looks ready to be a full participant against LA — so long as he shows well in training over the course of the coming days.

MARSCH FACES TOUGH CHOICES WITH MIAZGA, LAWRENCE

The Red Bulls makeshift backline has not looked like a side that has been slapped together.

That is a credit to defenders Matt Miazga and Kemar Lawrence.

Both men have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the onset of the season, helping to shore up the New York backline with the absence of regular starters Roy Miller and Ronald Zubar. As the veterans nurse their way back to health, Marsch envisions an important positional battle as New York enters a congested three week schedule.

“Matt and Kemar have shown they are up for the challenge,” Marsch said. “It will be important in this three week stretch that all those guys are ready to go. We will need all of them. Then managing minutes and managing, especially the way we play, the ability to manage minutes will effect our performance.”

“[It] makes my decision very hard, but it is also a luxury as a coach to know you have many good players that can step in and do the job.”

Unlike past Red Bull coaches, Marsch puts stock in the belief that injury should not effect whether an established starter losses their spot. That is good news for Miller and Zubar.

“I have the utmost confidence in Roy and Ronald. That is for sure,” he said. “Whenever they are called upon, they will be ready to go.”

However, with the play of Lawrence and Miazga, the Red Bulls boss also implies each will be given the opportunity to make their case for starting minutes.

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