TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center-Will Lionel Messi play vs. New York City FC? How to watch Inter Miami take on NYCFC

After falling 2-1 to the Houston Dynamo in Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup Final,TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center Inter Miami (9-15-5) returns to MLS action with just five games left in the regular season and a mountain to climb if they hope to reach the playoffs.

Currently five points away from ninth place, which so happens to be New York City FC (8-10-13), in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand, Miami has a remarkable opportunity to make up ground on the Pigeons with a win at home on Saturday.

Crunching numbers:How can Lionel Messi and Inter Miami make the MLS playoffs? Postseason hopes fading.

How to watch Miami vs. New York City

You can catch the game on Apple TV's MLS Season Pass. The match is slated for a 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT start time at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Will Messi play?

Unfortunately for fans of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, it doesn't seem likely that Messi will play this Saturday. Despite the importance of every game moving forward for the Herons, Messi's scar tissue injury just seems too pressing to get Messi onto the field at the moment.

Per Gaston Edul of TyC Sports, Miami does not feel comfortable playing Messi at this time for feel of reaggravating his injury and losing him for the remainder of the season. The team does feel confident that Messi will return at some point this season though.

What to know about NYCFC:

Miami has yet to lose a home MLS game since Tata Martino took over. That said, New York City FC has recorded three consecutive clean sheets, shutting out their opponents in four of their last five games.

That includes a 2-0 win over Orlando City SC, a club that Miami had troubles with last Sunday, even though the match resulted in a 1-1 tie.

Although the Pigeons currently hold the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, putting them in position to reach the MLS playoffs, two of their final three games are on the road this year, where they have gone a poor 1-7-7.

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What is Inter Miami's remaining 2023 schedule?

• Oct. 4: at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Oct. 7: vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Oct. 18: vs. Charlotte FC, 8 p.m. ET
• Oct. 21: at Charlotte FC, 6 p.m. ET