A battle will take place in Home Depot Center between perception and reality. The Galaxy take the pitch wanting to prove that they are better than last week’s 4-1 lashing against Real Salt Lake and struggles against New England. For the Union, the task is simpler: keep the season’s top results going on the road against a perceived “top club.”

It’ll be interesting to see how Carlos Ruiz is received in his first return to LA in three years. Much of the Galaxy fanbase wasn’t around for Ruiz’s MLS Cup and MVP winning days, so he may not receive the warm welcome he deserves. The Galaxy should be boosted by the return of Omar Gonzalez from injury and Landon Donovan returning from international duty.

For the Union, the emphasis will be on scoring, as the attack has been anything but consistent in the opening two matches. The attacking trio of Ruiz, Danny Mwanga, and Sebastien Le Toux haven’t figured out how to work in symphony. Justin Mapp is also likely to miss another match, leaving the Union with the same width problems as last week. Look for Roger Torres to possibly get his first start to fix the problem after turning a strong second-half performance.

LA Galaxy Player to Watch: Juninho. After the torrid start that the creative midfielder has had this season, it’s hard to pick anyone else to watch. He will be in for a challenge as Brian Carroll looks to disrupt his play.

Philadelphia Unon Player to Watch: Danny Mwanga. The season has started slowly for Danny, as he has yet to find his scoring touch or top form. He showed encouraging signs though versus Vancouver, and the second year man just might me due for a breakout game to launch his season.

Prediction: In the end, I see this one being a bit of a stalemate between two clubs pushing for the top of the MLS, as the squads draw 1-1.