Freddy Juarez called on his Real Salt Lake players to keep their cool as they look to snap a disappointing run of form against LA Galaxy.
RSL followed up a 5-0 loss to Colorado Rapids with a 2-1 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps last time out, finishing both home games with 10 men.
Douglas Martinez was shown a straight red card for violent conduct and Kyle Beckerman given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Head coach Juarez, who has seen his side slip to 11th in the Western Conference after winning one of their last six games, said: "It was a little bit unlucky. We'll mention it.
"We just have to be mature. That wasn't a problem of ours last year, so we have to get back to containing ourselves in situations and not putting ourselves in those situations.
"If we have a yellow already, we just have to be a bit smarter."
The Galaxy are the fourth side to visit the Rio Tinto Stadium in the past two weeks and are aiming to bounce back from a disappointing result of their own.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto's side lost for the first time since mid-July last weekend when going down 2-0 to Colorado Rapids, leaving them looking over their shoulder in eighth.
Daniel Steres has acknowledged an improvement is needed on the back of that defeat.
"We put pressure on them and they had a bunch of chances," Steres said.
"I think we gave them way too much. We would win the ball, whether it was in their half or our and within one or two passes, we would lose the ball and it was right down our throats again.
"So I think we kind of shot ourselves in the foot and created our own problems there."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake - Damir KreilachCroatian midfielder Kreilach has chipped in with six goals for RSL this season, most recently finding the net in the 3-0 win over Los Angeles FC two weeks ago. Juarez's side have struggled in an attacking sense since then, not helped by the dismissals, so they need Kreilach to have his scoring boots with him in midweek.
LA Galaxy - Ethan Zubak
The Galaxy have fired blanks in back-to-back matches and need their attacking players to step up against RSL. Zubak is in contention to lead the line and must improve on a return of one goal in eight matches this term, including a run of five straight games without netting.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- The Galaxy recorded 2-1 wins in both of their matches against Real Salt Lake in 2019, the first time the Galaxy have won consecutive regular season matches against RSL. Neither team has ever won three straight league matches against the other.
- Real Salt Lake has lost two straight home matches, recording their first home losing streak since April-May 2017 when they lost to Atlanta and Dallas. RSL has never lost three straight MLS matches at Rio Tinto Stadium as their last home losing streak came in 2005 when they still played at Rice-Eccles Stadium (6 straight losses).
- The Galaxy's six-match unbeaten run came to an end with a home defeat to Colorado on Saturday. They still haven't lost on the road yet this season (W2 D2) and could go five straight on the road without a loss for the first time since May-July 2018 (6 straight - W3 D3).
- Fourteen of Real Salt Lake's 17 regular season goals this season have been scored in the second half, tied with five other teams for most in MLS. Eight of their last nine goals have been scored after halftime.
- The Galaxy have failed to score in two straight matches after finding the net at least once in 21 of their previous 22 MLS matches (including playoffs). The Galaxy haven't gone three straight matches without scoring in over three years, since August 2017.
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