It's Hat Week, everyone! The Seattle Sounders will renew their kinda rivalry with the Columbus Crew today at 2 PM. The Sounders are coming off a win against Austin FC, while the Crew are riding a three-game winning streak.

Here’s what you need to know:

Injury news

Seattle Sounders FC

OUT: Paul Arriola - Knee; Reed Baker-Whiting - Not Due to Injury; Yeimar Gómez Andrade - Hamstring; Stuart Hawkins - Quad; Kim Kee-hee - Calf; João Paulo - Knee

Columbus Crew

OUT: Malte Amundsen - Knee; Max Arfsten - International duty; Rudy Camacho - Thigh; Nicho Hagen - Thigh

QUESTIONABLE: Cesar Ruvalcaba - Ankle; Patrick Schulte - Torso

Opposition players to watch

• Diego Rossi: When Cucho Hernandez was moved in the offseason, the expectation was that the heavy lifting on offense was going to have to fall on Diego Rossi. He’s basically lived up to that expectation, scoring nine goals and dishing out three assists. The Sounders have faced Rossi quite a bit over the years and should be familiar with his game.
• Steven Moreira: If there’s one player who encapsulates the way Wilfred Nancy’s team wants to play it’s Moreira. Ostensibly a centerback, Moreira is as likely to find himself bombing up the field as he is defending in the box. He’s some the Sounders will have to be aware of no matter where he is.

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Stats to look smart

• 60.0%: The Crew don't just lead MLS with an average of 60% possession per match. It's not just that they complete the most passes or have the highest completion percentage, it’s that they also lead the league in progressive passes, passes into the final third and passes into the penalty area. They’re also second in progressive passing distance.
• 24: The Sounders have generated 24 shots off successful take-ons, which ranks fifth in MLS. Among players with at least 200 minutes, Georgi Minoungou leads the league with 1.67 shots created from take-ons per 90 minutes and Ryan Kent ranks eight with .74.

Tactics to impress

• No team wants the ball more than the Crew. That's a consistent trend when they're at home or on the road. The trick to limiting the Crew's effectiveness is not denying them the ball as much as it is limiting their ability to break lines.
• The Sounders need to take advantage of being at Lumen Field where they have been as dominant as anyone in MLS this season. The Sounders are +12 at home and have only trailed in one game, getting out to a strong start will be key.

Kit matchup

Opposition research

Standings

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