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Galaxy-Red Bulls Preview

Jul 15, 2009 - 6:50 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Los Angeles (5-3-9) at New York (2-13-4), 8:00 p.m. EDT

David Beckham's return to the Los Angeles Galaxy has coincided with the release of a controversial book that includes Landon Donovan questioning the English superstar's commitment to the team. The duo, however, now claims to have moved past those comments.

Beckham and Donovan will try to prove that when they take the field together for the first time in nearly nine months as the Galaxy visit the league-worst New York Red Bulls.

Beckham rejoined the Galaxy (5-3-9) on Monday after spending six months on loan at Milan. His return to the practice field came one day prior to the release of the "The Beckham Experiment," a book by Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl. In the book, Donovan criticized Beckham extensively for his commitment, desire and decision to join Los Angeles in 2007, while also showing frustration with having the captaincy taken from him.

Beckham responded by calling the US national team veteran "unprofessional," while also expressing his interest in returning to Italy on loan after the MLS season.

The two players met with Galaxy coach Bruce Arena early this week in an effort to sort through the public feud.

"I'm not going to talk about what was said," said Beckham, who has five goals and 12 assists in 30 games since signing with the Galaxy. "That was between me, Landon and the manager. I said the other day everything that was needed to say."

Donovan, who served as captain while Beckham was away, also appears willing to put the spat behind him.

"We're getting past it, we're moving on," said Donovan, who leads Los Angeles with six goals and four assists. "There's a lot of things I regret. I regret the way that I went about this process and I also regret some of the things I said."

The two stars will take the field together for the first time since a 2-all tie with Dallas on Oct. 26, as Los Angeles closed out the 2008 season by failing to qualify for the playoffs for a third year in a row.

The Galaxy, who host Milan at home on Sunday, have been faring just fine without Beckham this season, and are in the thick of the playoff race. They're tied with Colorado for fourth in the Western Conference, three points back of third-place Chivas USA.

Los Angeles has also won three games in a row, capped by Saturday's 1-0 victory over Chivas. The club hasn't posted a four-game winning streak since a five-game run with Beckham from Sept. 23-Oct. 13, 2007.

Donovan netted a 39th-minute penalty kick to help the Galaxy defeat New York (2-13-4) 1-0 on May 2. He has seven goals and three assists in 10 career meetings with the Red Bulls.

The Red Bulls are hoping a long layoff can help them end their 10-game winless streak (0-8-2), which continued July 4 with a 2-1 loss at Dallas. It's their longest stretch without a victory since an MLS-record 12-game losing streak July 4-Sept. 5, 1999, en route to a 15-point finish - worst in league history.

"A lot of things have gone wrong," Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "With many different decisions and in many different ways, it seems like we don't have any breaks. We've just had a very poor season."