Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay has urged his team to show a "more clinical and ruthless" nature, starting this weekend against St. Louis City SC. 

The Loons are third in the Western Conference standings, two points adrift of leaders San Diego FC, but have dropped points in each of their last two league games. 

Ramsay watched on as Omir Fernandez netted a 92nd-minute equaliser for the Portland Timbers to snatch a 1-1 draw for his team. 

And the Minnesota boss wants to see his team close out games when they are on top, suggesting his side are close to becoming a force to be reckoned with. 

"We are very, very close to being one of the most competitive, one of the best teams in the league, but we just can't get over the line," said Ramsay.

"We are really close, we can dominate large periods of the game and get close to getting over the line, but we haven't been able to, which is really frustrating.

"The players need to feel criticism and pressure after not being able to get over the line.

"I'm keen to stress that we’re the team that have been in a losing position the least through the course of this entire season, so more often than any other team in MLS we are in a position to lose point at the end of games.

"I think that is a credit to the team in one sense, but in another we have to be much more clinical and ruthless in closing games out."

St. Louis, meanwhile, are struggling at the opposite end of the table, sitting 14th in the West, having taken just 18 points from their first 23 matches this season. 

They were beaten 3-0 by FC Dallas in their last league game, their fifth defeat in seven matches since the start of June. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

St. Louis City – Joao Klauss

St. Louis have been led by Klauss. The striker is the side's top scorer with seven goals, three of those having been the crucial first of the match.

The Brazilian forward has scored five goals in his last six matches, including a hat-trick against the Los Angeles Galaxy, and will be keen to improve that run against Minnesota. 

Minnesota United – Anthony Markanich

Markanich has scored in each of his last three regular-season away matches, becoming the fourth player in Minnesota's MLS history to score in three straight road games, along with Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Tani Oluwaseyi and Franco Fragapane.

The 25-year-old scored the opener against the Timbers last time out, and also found the net in the Loons' recent home win over the San Jose Earthquakes.

MATCH PREDICTION – MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

Minnesota have lost only one of their last 12 away matches in all competitions (W6 D5) dating back to the start of March. The Loons are the only MLS team with just one road defeat in all competitions since the beginning of March.

St. Louis' defeat at Dallas was the club's eighth defeat in their last 11 matches in all competitions (W2 D1). All seven of their points in that time have come in matches played at home, though.

Minnesota have won four straight matches against St. Louis, scoring at least three goals in all four meetings, including a 3-0 home win in league play on May 17 and a 3-2 home win in the US Open Cup just four days later.

In their last six league matches, St. Louis have won one, drawn one and lost four. Minnesota, meanwhile, have won three, drawn two and lost one in their last six.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

St Louis City – 30.9%

Draw – 25.1%

Minnesota United – 43.9%