New York Red Bulls vs Sporting KC: Keys to the Eastern Conference Knockout Round

Just four days after playing each other in their last regular-season match, the New York Red Bulls and Sporting Kansas City will square off on Thursday at Red Bull Arena in the Eastern Conference knockout round.

The winner of the game will face first-seed D.C. United in the Eastern Conference semifinals. There are several storylines entering this match, which will be examined in this slideshow.

Here are the keys to the Eastern Conference knockout round.

Will Besler and Collin's Struggles Continue?

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The New York Red Bulls dominated Sporting Kansas City's center back pairing of Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin on Sunday. That match wasn't just a formality. Both defenders have been poor since the end of the World Cup break.

Besler is clearly burnt out and has picked up some niggling injuries as a result. Collin has had to carry the load, which hasn't worked out for the MLS Cup champions. 

At one point, SKC was second in the East. They ended the season in fifth place and will travel to New Jersey on short rest.

The extra travel time should favor the Red Bulls, especially attackers Bradley Wright-Phillips and Tim Cahill.

Is Thierry Henry Going to Start?

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Thierry Henry was unfit to start against Kansas City on Sunday due to an Achilles injury. Head coach Mike Petke isn't too worried, but Henry is trying his hardest to return to full fitness and his status is in doubt at the moment.

Assuming Henry cannot play, Petke should play Tim Cahill behind Bradley Wright-Phillips, which worked as planned last weekend.

Cahill was able to lure defenders toward him, while Wright-Phillips made some surging runs into the box and earned quality scoring chances.

However, Henry's absence would be huge for New York. The bright side is that it's just an inflammation, so worst-case scenario is he might be able to come on as an impact substitute.

Wright-Phillips vs. Dom Dwyer

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Two of the best strikers in MLS will face one another on Thursday. Bradley Wright-Phillips was the top goalscorer in the regular season, while Dom Dwyer finished just behind the Red Bulls forward in the Golden Boot race.

Wright-Phillips has the slight edge due to his technique. Dwyer has a poor first touch, but has great strength and is a talented goalscorer, just like his adversary.

However, Kansas City struggled to get Dwyer involved on Sunday. He had 28 touches, which amounted to just three shots, per WhoScored.com. Wright-Phillips recorded 34 touches, but had seven attempts and two goals.

Dwyer has to make some runs and take his chances. Wright-Phillips was able to beat defenders in order to get those opportunities. The SKC striker has the ability to free up some space and help his teammates.

The Midfield Battle

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One of the reasons that Sporting has declined this year is due to their defensive midfielders. Problems began to surface right after Kansas City sold Oriol Rosell in the middle of the season.

When Lawrence Olum came off injured in the first half on Sunday, New York began to boss the midfield. Dax McCarty and Eric Alexander were outstanding as usual, but it's important for SKC to win that battle on Thursday.

Olum should be good to go, and starting Benny Feilhaber will alleviate a lot of pressure on the Kenyan. Feilhaber has been instrumental for head coach Peter Vermes this season.

The American didn't play in the last match, and is doubtful to start. That could be a huge absence if Feilhaber isn't fit enough.

Can Sporting's Full-Backs Hold Their Own?

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When Sporting right-back Chance Myers went down with a season-ending injury, it was a huge blow to the squad. Igor Juliao, Kevin Ellis and others have admirably filled in, but it hasn't been the same without Myers.

Ellis was solid on Sunday, but he's a natural center-back. Juliao is an out-and-out right-back, but he often neglects his defensive responsibilities and makes a few too many errors.

Juliao just turned 20 years old. He's new to MLS and was essentially thrown into the deep end right after Myers' injury, so it's understandable for the Brazilian to struggle.

The Red Bulls will be targeting the flanks as much as they can. Many teams have done the same against SKC, so Juliao will have to step up, assuming he gets the nod.

Will New York's Defense Stay Strong?

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New York goalkeeper Luis Robles has faced the second-highest amount of shots (171) this season, per MLSSoccer.com. San Jose's Jon Busch is the only other custodian who saw more.

The Earthquakes finished near the bottom of the Western Conference, while the Red Bulls were fourth in the East. If it wasn't for their goalscoring exploits, New York might have missed the cut.

However, the defense has cleaned up their act in recent games. Jamison Olave has been the primary catalyst alongside Ibrahim Sekagya. New York only allowed one shot on target out of 11 total attempts on Sunday.

This stat will probably change on Thursday. Kansas City rested a few starters, so there might be more urgency in their game. It will be up to the Red Bulls' defense to make sure that their goalkeeper isn't standing on his head.