#NEvCHI Starting XI Presented by AT&T | Aug. 24, 2019

The Chicago Fire are set to take on the New England Revolution in a crucial Eastern Conference matchup Saturday night at Gillette Stadium, as both sides eye another three points toward their respective postseason chases

With kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT start on ESPN+, take a look at head coach Veljko Paunović's starting XI and bench below, presented by AT&T:

• One change was made from last Saturday's 2-0 home win over the Philadelphia Union, as Micheal Azira slots into the first XI for Bastian Schweinsteiger.
• Nemanja Nikolić leads the line tonight having scored five goals in the Fire's last four matches, including a brace in last weekend's win. The goals were Nikolić's 49th and 50th of his Fire career in MLS regular season play, eclipsing Chris Rolfe (48) for second in the category on the Club's all-time scoring chart.
• After having a red card suspension successfully appealed on Tuesday, midfielder Nicolás Gaitán starts tonight in New England.
• Fresh off of making his 50th professional appearance last Saturday, midfielder Brandt Bronico makes his 24th of 2019 as part of tonight's starting XI, reaching a new career high for single-season appearances.
• CJ Sapong earns his 28th appearance of 2019 looking to add to his 10 goals scored for the Fire this season. Alongside Nikolić's 11 goals, 2019 marks the third-straight season the Fire have had a pair of double-digit goal-scorers.
• Francisco Calvo, Johan Kappelhof, and Jonathan Bornstein will hold down the defensive line, looking for a fourth clean sheet in six games.
• Goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm gets his 15th start for the Fire in net.
• Despite being listed as questionable (shoulder), Fabian Herbers makes his return to the matchday roster and is available selection off the bench this evening. Herbers last appeared for the Fire in their 2019 Leagues Cup meeting with Cruz Azul on July 24.
• Midfielder Aleksandar Katai is unavailable for selection tonight while serving the second game of a suspension received from a red card ejection against the Portland Timbers on Aug. 14.

View the full Starting XI and bench for both sides in the graphics below as they're available: