Portland Timbers head coach Phil Neville believes there is a new energy among his players, having had plenty of rest ahead of their upcoming league clash with St. Louis City. 

The Timbers played eight games across May in all competitions, but have not taken to the field since a 2-1 victory over 10-man Colorado Rapids at the end of last month. 

Neville's team sit fifth in the Western Conference standings, having taken eight points from their six league fixtures in May, level on points with fourth-placed Seattle Sounders. 

And ahead of welcoming St. Louis to Providence Park this weekend, Neville believes his players are raring to go upon their return to league action. 

"The 10-day break has allowed us to have a mental refresh," Neville said. "We have reset and there is a different feel for the players. May was a tough month for us. 

"We had a lot of games and a lot of travel, and it takes a lot out of you. This little break, the squad has come back after a couple of days off and their eyes are open, they are smiling again and there's a new energy around the place. 

"There's another push for us for the next two games to try and get some good results against a team who have a new manager. They themselves have had a win recently. 

"They have a new energy, a new feel, a new system. It's going to be a difficult game, but it is one we are all looking forward to."

St. Louis, meanwhile, picked up their first league victory since March with a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last time out. 

They had gone 11 games without a victory, a run of form that saw Olof Mellberg sacked, with David Critchley taking charge of the club on an interim basis. 

Critchley acknowledged the challenges that face his players in the coming weeks, but he was confident that their latest victory is a solid foundation for them to build on. 

"Belief is one word we're going to have around here," said Critchley. "I just had a feeling. I believed in the team, and I knew everything we talked about.

"We accepted nothing today but three points as a team. So, the mentality was super, super important for us. Yes, they equalised, gave us a little bit of adversity. It's OK.

"We're changing things around here. We don't sit back in those moments.

"We go and try and win a football game, and that's what we done and that's what was deserving of the three points today."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portland Timbers – David da Costa

Da Costa and Antony each have eight assists this season, tied for the most in MLS, level with Inter Miami's Luis Suarez.  

Portland are the second team in the last 25 seasons to have multiple players with eight assists after 16 games of a season (D.C. United – Mateusz Klich and Jared Stroud (eight each) in 2024. 

Da Costa also finished with team-high totals for chances created (seven) and passes in the final third (34) in the Timbers' victory over Colorado. 

St. Louis City – Eduard Lowen

Lowen's match-winning penalty in the second minute of second-half stoppage time against San Jose was the latest match-winner in the club's regular season history. 

St. Louis had not scored a winning goal after the 86th minute prior to Lowen's goal on Saturday, and he will be hoping to provide another telling contribution this time around. 

MATCH PREDICTION: PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN

Despite the pre-match simulations favouring this weekend's hosts, St. Louis have avoided defeat in both of their visits to Portland, winning, 2-1, in March 2023 and playing out a 4-4 draw at Providence Park last season. Overall, St. Louis have lost only one of five meetings with the Timbers in all competitions (W2 D2).

They also snapped their club-record 11-match regular-season winless run with a victory over San Jose on Saturday in interim manager Critchley's first match. The previous longest winless run in club history, a nine-match run in 2024, ended in interim John Hackworth's first match in charge.

Portland are unbeaten in seven straight home matches (W4 D3) after opening the season with a loss to Vancouver at Providence Park. That loss to the Whitecaps is one of only two defeats for the Timbers in their last 20 regular-season home matches (W12 D6).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Portland Timbers – 56.4%

Draw – 22.5%

St. Louis City – 21%