New England Revolution head coach Caleb Porter believes the competition for places in the squad pushes the team to be better as they prepare to travel to Toronto FC in MLS.

After winning just one of their first six matches this season, the Revs have turned things around in recent weeks, jumping up to 10th in the Eastern Conference.

They have now won each of their last three matches in the league, including a 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC last weekend, which inflicted a first defeat of the season on Dean Smith's side.

And Porter believes their recent improvement comes from the players' fight to get into the starting line-up.

"We're creating a very special environment where there's so much competition," Porter said, as quoted in the Blazing Musket.

"What ends up happening when you have competition is there's a real fight for the [starting] 11. You have to play well to be in the 11.

"And then the group that comes into the game, there's a lot of tension for them to do well.

"When you have players with a strong mentality, they don't shrink in that moment, they grow. That's what I'm seeing right now."

Toronto, meanwhile, have endured a disappointing season so far, sitting second from bottom in the East.

They have won just once all season, beating Real Salt Lake earlier this month, while their Canadian Championship campaign ended in the preliminary round on Wednesday as they twice gave up a lead in a 2-2 draw with CF Montreal before losing on penalties.

Head coach Robin Fraser was frustrated after that result, lamenting Toronto's missed chances.

"Incredibly disappointed," Fraser said. "Disappointed that we lost not one lead, but two.

"We certainly felt like we did enough to win the game. It's disappointing because it is a little bit of a fresh start [after their struggles in MLS], and here's an opportunity … It's going to hurt for a while."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Deandre Kerr

Toronto have scored only two goals in their last seven home matches, the first team to be held to two goals in a span of seven home matches since FC Cincinnati in 2020.

Deandre Kerr scored their only goal on home soil so far this season against the Chicago Fire on matchday four, with Toronto failing to score in three such matches since.

New England Revolution – Carles Gil

Including scoring the lone goal against Charlotte on Saturday, Carles Gil has scored (four) or assisted (one) five of the six goals scored by New England players this season (excluding own goals).

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Toronto won both meetings with New England last season, each by a 1-0 scoreline. Toronto have never won three straight matches against the Revs (41 meetings).

They are winless in seven straight regular-season home matches (D2 L5). This is the sixth time Toronto have gone at least seven straight home league games without a win, but they have only gone on longer runs twice: nine straight in 2013 and eight straight in 2021.

New England, meanwhile, have recorded three straight shutout wins in regular-season play for the first time since August-September 2015. The Revs' only run of four straight shutout wins in league play came in April-May 2005.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 35.7%

Draw – 26.1%

New England Revolution – 38.3%