Top 3 Key Real Salt Lake Players to Watch Against Minnesota United

Real Salt Lake will engage Minnesota United in the most promising playoff battle. In this case, all eyes will be on the game-changers able to turn one team's fortune around. As the playoffs get more intense, three players seem to be on hot streaks and can determine the flow of the night at Rio Tinto Stadium. Here's a look at some key Real Salt Lake talents that analysts expect to face off inside Rio Tinto Stadium in their battle for pole position in the series-opening contest.

1. Diego Luna - Creative Midfielder

Stats and Role: Diego Luna brings important imagination into the midfield of Real Salt Lake. With a CRE score of 60, Luna is well beyond Minnesota's Sang-bin Jeong in terms of attacking attributes along with technical skill. A lot of his role in the team is creating chances and linking the midfield to the attack, which would be key in disrupting Minnesota's defensive structure.

Luna's 8 goals and 12 assists this season have been important for Real Salt Lake, including the fact that he loves stepping up for highly critical games, much as he did in their win against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Why He's Key: Luna's playmaking can unlock Minnesota's defense—particularly in their tendency to play compact and break on counters. Salt Lake relies on his ability to keep possession under pressure, so if he finds space, he could turn the game in Salt Lake's favor.

2. Cristian Arango - Forward

Stats and Form: Arango is top scorer for Salt Lake with 17 goals and has a penchant for big moments. He thrives on direct attacking play and crossing opportunities, and he can test Minnesota's defensive shape—Minnesota does have a tendency to concede more chances from wide areas. Arango's attacking run often forces defenders to commit, thus allowing space for other attackers.

Why He's Key: Arango will be key to finishing against a Minnesota side known for very solid defensive transitions. Real Salt Lake's games have gone one way when he scores early in the match, where they then control the pace of the game, giving them good positions to make changes tactically. His current form suggests that he may exploit Minnesota's right side, given how he is going into such matchups.

3. Justen Glad - Centre-Back

Stats and Defensive Role: Glad anchors the backline with defensive stats touting his reliability. Over recent games, he has shown solid tackling and positioning that Salt Lake needs with Minnesota's counter-attacking style of play. Forwards Sang-bin Jeong and Pukki are some of Minnesota's forwards who are known for their off-the-ball movement, so Glad will need to read the game well to cut passing lanes.

Why He's Key: Minnesota lumps much of its attacking threats, especially when building up with quick speed, onto the disciplined defensive positioning from Glad. He organizes the team at the back and will be huge in defending and setting up transitions. A good game from Glad could prevent Minnesota from finding the rhythm they need to take away what it needs from Salt Lake.

These three players stress Real Salt Lake's balance of offense, creativity, and defense. Their performances on October 30 will be so critical for taking the advantage in this Best-of-3 series opener.