Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay says the club are "onto a good thing" despite their nine-match winless streak as they prepare to face the San Jose Earthquakes.

Minnesota ended a six-match losing run against Houston Dynamo last weekend with a 1-1 draw but could not build on that in midweek as they let a lead slip in stoppage time against D.C. United to lose 3-2.

Sitting ninth in the Western Conference with teams below them are starting to close in, but Ramsay, who is starting to come under pressure due to this run of results, remains optimistic.

"I always see hope," Ramsay said. "We've got a group that is very willing to throw themselves into a challenge and a coaching staff that are largely very positive and constructive.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure that we roll from one game into another. We look at ourselves hard in the mirror, but we're also realistic, and I am absolutely adamant that we're onto a good thing here.

"The big thing is we remain calm and level, with lessons learned, and everything still intact."

Meanwhile, San Jose sit rooted to the bottom of the table having collected just 14 points this season.

Despite winning just one of their last 12 matches, interim head coach Ian Russell says he sees improvement in the team, especially defensively.

"We've had three games in a week, and you want to focus on each game, but that's really hard," Russell said.

"Defensively, we're better, but we've got to get the attack going. It's a fine line. It's a matter of every player buying in defensively, staying compact, small details.

"If you do that as a collective, you start seeing results and, defensively, we've been pretty good."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Minnesota United – Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi

Minnesota's 3-2 defeat to D.C. on Wednesday marked the second time in club history that the Loons lost an MLS match when leading entering the 90th minute, also doing so at home against Seattle in August 2018.

Oluwaseyi scored the opener in that game, netting for the eighth time this season, and he will be key as they look to bounce back.

San Jose Earthquakes – Jacob Jackson

San Jose have lost four straight, and nine of their 11 road games this regular season (winning one, drawing one). The Earthquakes have allowed at least four goals in five of those 11 games.

Jacob Jackson has endured a torrid run in goal, and he will be keen to enjoy a shutout before the Leagues Cup break.

MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

San Jose won each of their first four meetings with Minnesota, spanning the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Since 2019, the Earthquakes have managed just one win in 10 meetings with the Loons in all competitions (drawing four, losing five).

Minnesota are winless in a club-record nine straight regular-season matches (drawing two, losing seven) following a 3-2 loss to D.C. on Wednesday. The Loons have lost three straight home matches for the first time in the club's MLS history.

Meanwhile, San Jose's 14 points through 24 games this season equals the fourth-fewest at this stage of a season in MLS history, behind only the MetroStars in 1999 (nine), D.C. United in 2013 (13) and Chivas USA in 2005 (13).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Minnesota United – 56.1%

Draw – 22.7%

San Jose Earthquakes – 21.2%