STANFORD — The Earthquakes have reached a crucial juncture in the 2017 MLS season.

It starts with a rookie coach facing a brutal baptism Saturday as the Quakes renew the California Clasico against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Stanford Stadium.

It continues with a restless fan base expressing frustrations over a decade of mostly futility.

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Everything needs to change for new coach Chris Leitch and the Quakes with more than 50,000 fans expected for San Jose’s marquee regular-season home game that gives the team a chance to boost its flagging support.

The anticipated game also kickstarts another big July of soccer for the Bay Area.

Two other games should attract sellout crowds to Levi’s Stadium. European super clubs Real Madrid and Manchester United will meet July 23 in the International Champions Cup, a popular summer exhibition including some of the world’s biggest soccer teams.

Three days later, Levi’s will play host to the Gold Cup final — the regional championship for Central and North America and the Caribbean that could feature a summer blockbuster: the United States vs. Mexico.

In the interim, the Earthquakes play two big games at Avaya Stadium, starting July 10 with a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against the Galaxy. Four days later they have an exhibition against Eintracht Frankfurt, which finished 11th in the Bundesliga this past season.

The focus Saturday and for the rest of the season is Leitch, a former defender who has stepped into the crucible of coaching after the ground-shaking firing of Dominic Kinnear this week.

Leitch, 38, takes the reigns just ahead of San Jose’s challenging trip Tuesday at Atlanta United FC. The Quakes stay on the road when returning to MLS action July 19 against the New York Red Bulls and July 23 at Seattle Sounders FC.

With San Jose’s woeful 2-5-1 away record, the game Saturday is pivotal as the Quakes try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The team (6-6-5, 23 points) is in fifth place in the Western Conference, a point ahead of the Galaxy.

With six teams advancing to the postseason San Jose can’t afford to tumble below the playoff line ahead of a three-game trip. Not even a tie would be satisfactory against a team that smashed the Quakes 4-2 in May.

“On the one side, from the standings, we are very good in the race,” German defender Florian Jungwirth said. “Just two points from second. That’s a good position, but we all expected more of ourselves to get better results and more points.”

Part of Kinnear’s downfall was holes in the roster. Leitch inherits a situation that makes his effort to jumpstart the team more challenging.

The Earthquakes are missing striker Marco Urena (Costa Rica) and central midfielders Anibal Godoy (Panama) and Darwin Ceren (El Salvador) to the Gold Cup. Rookie fullback Nick Lima is ineligible Saturday after getting two yellow cards last weekend against Real Salt Lake.

The team also is missing Fatai Alashe (knee) while designated player Simon Dawkins (knee) is listed as questionable. But Jungwirth appears close to returning from an ankle sprain. He looked sharp during afternoon drills Wednesday to test his mobility.

The central defender who has been a hit in his first year of MLS hoped to play Saturday but was confident he would be ready by Tuesday.

Jungwirth, who has taken a leadership role on the field, summarized what led to Kinnear’s sacking despite ranking third all-time in coaching victories.

“We are not happy with the things we have achieved up to now,” he said. “We were inconsistent, especially when we win here against Portland 3-0, play amazing, and six days later go to Colorado and get busted. That is not the way how it should be.”

It’s not the way Leitch expects the team to play in the next 17 MLS games — even with a depleted roster.

The Earthquakes responded with a 2-1 victory over Seattle in a U.S. Open Cup game Wednesday night at Avaya Stadium in his official debut.

“I saw glimpses and see things that we want to do,” said captain Chris Wondolowski, who has taken Kinnear’s dismissal hard. “Our goals and objectives haven’t changed.”

Whether the Quakes can achieve them will begin Saturday.