Every time I look for fun facts about St. Louis, the only thing that comes up is that dang arch. But, after three seasons of only casual digging, I’ve decided that you deserve something more to get you ready for this Saturday’s matchup. Everyone knows about the arch. How can I do better? Perhaps you want to hear about the nation’s first gas station? Or maybe you want to talk about the first modern Olympics, hosted in Missouri’s second-largest city back in 1904? If that doesn’t do the trick, I’ll just mail you some BBQ sauce, and we’ll call it good. If these tidbits don’t have you excited to visit the Gateway to the West, I don’t think my research is the problem: You just don’t like St. Louis.

Minnesota United (11-5-8)

Run of Form: D-L-W-W-W (All Competitions)

Your Loons remain on a bit of a heater, despite a mild heat check the last two times out. They’ve taken 10 of their last 15 possible points, maintaining their spot near the top of the Western Conference and doing just enough to keep themselves relevant in the Supporters’ Shield race. Their draw in Portland is nothing to turn your nose up at, as Phil Neville’s Timbers have proven that they can best any team on their day. And, while the 1-0 home loss to LAFC likely stung a bit, this Loons side has shown that they refuse to stay down for long. If anything, that loss might be what pushes the Black and Blue to put together another unbeaten run, and what better place to get back in the winning column than good old St. Louis?

St. Louis City SC (4-13-6)

Run of Form: L-W-L-L-L

It’s been a season to forget in St. Louis. They’ve only won four matches in 2025, putting them above just the defending champions at the bottom of the Western Conference. They’ve fallen to Houston, Dallas, and RSL in their last five matches, all of whom are currently below the playoff line. This is shaping up to be the club’s worst season since joining MLS, and while injuries and misfortune have been part of that, it’s simply not been good enough in St. Louis.

Keys to the Match:

Three for Three?

If you can remember all the way back to mid-May, you might remember the last two matches we played against St. Louis. Your Loons took down the visiting CITY side twice in the same week, taking three points in the league and eliminating the visitors from the U.S. Open Cup just a few days later. The Black and Blue outscored this weekend’s opponents 6-2 across those two matches behind the efforts of five different goalscorers and two very different lineups. To put it plainly, the Loons were dominant in the last two matches. Beating any team once in this league is tough, but beating them twice in less than a week? That’s not only impressive, it’s quite telling for the state of both clubs. Anything less than a three-peat for the Loons will feel like a failure, while anything better than a loss for the hosts should feel like a sign of progress. These clubs are coming at this match with two entirely different mindsets, and that’s surely going to come through on the pitch. Results tend to follow mentality even more than form, and a mentality that’s shooting for growth almost always beats the mentality that’s trying not to fall. If the Loons can keep their eyes set on their season-long goals, they should have more than enough in the tank to win this fixture again.

Formation Expectation

Since the last time the Loons faced STL, head coach Olof Mellberg was let go. Former CITY2 head coach David Critchley took over as interim manager, and while he hasn’t had time to drastically change the team, his appointment has brought some subtle shifts in approach. Rather than a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3, both of which left more than enough space for teams to play through the middle of this St. Louis side, Critchley has opted for a more solid 4-2-3-1 formation since early June. In theory, the double pivot of defensive midfielders makes both ball movement and defending easier for the side but marks a slight deviation from the high-octane, counterattacking soccer that defined the club when they first joined MLS. The desired result hasn’t really gone beyond theory just yet, as STL have only managed to get four points from their last seven games. It’s hard to say whether it’s a personnel issue or a tactical issue, but one thing is for sure: they haven’t found the perfect tactical setup in St. Louis just yet, and your Loons should be more than capable of taking advantage of any disorganization.

Familiar Faces

Let’s address the former Loon in the room. The summer transfer window officially opens on July 24, meaning any deals that are already done will be valid on that date. So, both of Minnesota’s recent transactions with St. Louis will be fully in place. In theory, we could see both Sang Bin Jeong and Devin Padelford (on loan) line up for the opposition this weekend, and I don’t know about you, but that feels a little weird. Obviously, their participation in Saturday’s match is dependent upon several factors: travel, integration, and rest, among plenty more variables. Should they play, though, it will be interesting to see how they mesh with their new teammates, how they match up against their old ones, and what kind of impact they can make on the game. Playing against a former team always adds an interesting layer to the mental side of the game, and the prospect of doing it just a week after making your move only makes that wrinkle even more interesting.