Oscar Parejo feels squad rotation will be vital if Orlando City are to maintain an impressive season through a testing stretch as they face Chicago Fire on Saturday.
The Lions, who have largely struggled since their 2015 introduction to MLS, are fourth in the Eastern Conference through 11 games, just five points off the top.
But Orlando must visit Sporting Kansas City and then FC Dallas in the week after hosting Chicago.
While Nani has been City's standout performer, others - such as SuperDraft pick Daryl Dike - have also chipped in, and Parejo suggests these contributions will be more important than ever.
"I think what we're doing has been bringing some benefits, being kind of the middle," he said. "Rotating some players, at the same time giving some consistency to players who need it to develop that identity with the group. I think we had done (well) in that part.
"But for these games there certainly needs to be some sort of rotation and we will do that. We try to use the most players we can knowing that it's an important stage of our league."
Chicago are winless in four after throwing away a two-goal lead at home to Columbus Crew, but Raphael Wicky confirmed Djordje Mihailovic is set to be fit to feature and the players remain in good spirits.
Winger Fabian Herbers said: "Unfortunately, the results didn't go our way, but we'll try again against Orlando.
"They did well in the MLS is Back Tournament. This season they're looking sharp, but if we go there with the right mindset, we can get some points there."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City - Benji Michel
If Parejo is looking to rotate, Michel will hope to get another opportunity from the outset. The 22-year-old netted in each of his two starts at the beginning of the month, having also supplied an assist late in August, but was dropped to the bench last time out.
Chicago Fire - Fabian Herbers
Herbers has not played a full 90 minutes since July but has made the most of his time on the pitch regardless. The German scored against FC Cincinnati and New England Revolution before weighing in with an assist against Columbus Crew last time out.
KEY OPTA FACTS
-- The Fire have never lost at Orlando City (W2 D3), winning their most recent two visits to Exploria Stadium. Chicago are one of two teams (also Atlanta United - five games) who have visited Orlando City more than twice and never lost.
-- Orlando have collected 19 points from their first 11 matches this season (W5 D4 L2), just one fewer than their best-ever 11-match start to an MLS season (20 points in 2017).
-- The Fire are winless in their five away matches this season (D2 L3) and have collected just 13 points on the road since the start of 2019 (W2 D7 L13). Their two away wins since the beginning of last season are fewest in MLS among non-expansion teams.
-- Orlando have scored in their past 10 MLS matches, the second-longest run in the club's MLS history after a 15-match span with at least one goal in March to June 2016.
-- The Fire's most recent six goals have been scored by six different players. Herbers (two goals) is the only Fire player with more than one goal since the MLS regular season resumed.
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