Matchday 8: What to know, how to watch on MLS Season Pass

Matchday 8 brings El Tráfico, a Canadian derby and an Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs rematch. Which teams will get the best of a familiar foe?

Some reminders:

• Apple TV - Free: games are free to watch; you only need an Apple ID.
• Apple TV - MLS Season Pass: MLS Season Pass subscription is required.

LAFC vs. LA Galaxy

• WATCH: Apple TV - Free, FOX, FOX Deportes, TSN 3
• WHEN: Saturday, 7:45 pm ET

As Taylor Twellman put it in his latest Twellman's Takes episode, the lead-up to 2024's first El Tráfico has been "a bit surprising."

Translation: LAFC, back-to-back Western Conference champions, were supposed to be the team racing out to a Supporters' Shield lead… all while the Galaxy, bolstered by new signings but coming off a 13th-place finish in 2023, were slated to play catch-up.

Instead, it's been the opposite.

The Galaxy's new DP wingers, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, have filled a key void for Greg Vanney's side. And the result, playing alongside Riqui Puig and Dejan Joveljic, has been an undefeated start (3W-0L-3D) that's put the Western Conference on notice.

LAFC, meanwhile, have shown flashes of greatness – Matchday 6's 5-0 drubbing of Nashville SC in particular – but haven't quite put the pieces together. Seven goals scored in the last two matches marks a positive trend in attack – led by Denis Bouanga with Eduard Atuesta orchestrating build-up – but the defense looked uncharacteristically rocky in last Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids.

Even at home, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will likely need to flex his World Cup-winning pedigree to keep the Galaxy's high-flying attack at bay.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC

• WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
• WHEN: Saturday, 7:30 pm ET

Don't look now, but Vancouver are second in the West with a game in hand on the conference-leading Galaxy. That builds on a strong finish to the 2023 regular season, and all signs point to Vanni Sartini's side as legit contenders.

To boot, club talisman Ryan Gauld got off the mark with his first goal of 2024 in a 3-2 win over rival Portland last week. If he can find the form of last year's 11g/12a season, the Whitecaps will like their chances of earning a top seed in the playoffs.

Standing in their way is visiting Toronto, who look revitalized under head coach John Herdman. The former Canadian men's national team coach had the Reds flying out of the gate, but TBD if they can keep the momentum going while Lorenzo Insigne recovers from a hamstring injury. Last week's 3-1 home loss to Sporting Kansas City wasn't a great sign.

They'll need their other superstar Italian attacker, Federico Bernardeschi, to step up if they hope to reclaim their form. The former Juventus man has yet to tally a goal contribution on the year.

FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls

• WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
• WHEN: Saturday, 7:30 pm ET

FC Cincinnati parted with five written-in-pen starters in the offseason, so it wasn't a given the 2023 Supporters' Shield winners would be right back at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. But there they are, having weathered early-season Concacaf Champions Cup schedule congestion to go undefeated in MLS play (3W-0L-3D).

General manager Chris Albright's offseason reload has gone off without a hitch, adding USMNT defenders Miles Robinson and DeAndre Yedlin while making key under-the-radar signings from abroad like Pavel Bucha and Luca Orellano.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have 2023 MVP Luciano Acosta leading the way. The pivotal No. 10 already has 2g/2a on the year.

The New York Red Bulls, who are now led by head coach Sandro Schwarz and captain Emil Forsberg, are right behind Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference table.

Lewis Morgan's red-hot return from an injury-plagued 2023 campaign has sparked the RBNY attack to life, scoring a league-leading six goals alongside one assist. Combined with their stout defense, belief is growing this could be one of the best Red Bull teams in years.

Knocking off Cincy on the road and leapfrogging them in the East would be a real signal of intent.