The Portland Timbers' increased endurance has been crucial to their strong start to the season after they flagged late on in 2024, believes Phil Neville.

The Timbers, who visit Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, are third in the Western Conference with 21 points from their first 12 matches of the campaign.

They won 1-0 at home to Sporting Kansas City last time out, getting back to winning ways following a 4-1 humbling by the San Jose Earthquakes in their previous league game.

The Timbers scraped a playoff place in 2024 then were hammered 5-0 by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the wild-card round, but Neville feels they are more physically prepared this term.

"When you think back to last year, the last four games of the season, we were running on empty," he said.

"We didn't have enough depth, we rolled them as far as we could and they had no energy to give.

"We've now got real competition for places, and it's a marathon in this league. We're going to need every single one of them and I see a great togetherness in there."

Real Salt Lake finished third in the West last year but are currently languishing in 11th, having drawn 1-1 with FC Dallas last time out.

But if Portland are going to take three points away from America First Field, Neville feels they will need a similar defensive performance to the one they produced against Kansas. 

"The last thing I said when they went out was that I wanted a clean sheet," Neville said. 

"Last week in San Jose, the week before against LAFC, LA Galaxy, Kansas away... we didn't look like a team that was going to keep a clean sheet.

"Now we look like a team that can keep a clean sheet and see a win out."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Real Salt Lake – Diego Luna

Luna has scored four goals in his last three regular-season matches, finding the net once in all three games. 

At 21 years, 245 days old, Luna is the youngest player in RSL history to score in three straight regular-season matches.

Portland Timbers – Antony 

Antony has been involved in at least one goal in five straight regular-season appearances for the Timbers. 

Only three players in Portland history have recorded a streak of six or more consecutive games with a goal contribution (Diego Valeri twice, Evander and Fanendo Adi once each).

MATCH PREDICTION – REAL SALT LAKE WIN

Portland have collected 10 points from their first six regular-season away matches this season (W3 D1 L2). 

That is the second-most after six road matches of a season in club history (11 in 2020), while they have scored 11 goals across their three away wins this year.

Portland have only lost two of their last 15 regular-season matches against Real Salt Lake (W9 D4) dating back to 2018. 

However, both of those defeats, one in 2020 and one in 2022, came on the road.

Real Salt Lake lost only three times in 19 home matches in all competitions last year, and despite their up-and-down form, playing at America First Field could be enough to get them over the line.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Real Salt Lake – 41.2%

Portland Timbers – 32.2%

Draw – 26.7%