Beckham, who has not played for Los Angeles since being hurt in the SuperLiga final on August 30, has taken part in full team practice this week, but with the Galaxy on a five-game winning streak, coach Frank Yallop feels no need to rush him back into the action.

Yallop said: "(Beckham) would be a pretty valuable substitute I would think if he's available for our team.

"We know the quality of David and what he brings to the team, so if he is feeling good and we want to do it, we will."

The Galaxy go into the game knowing that a win or a draw would take their push for the play-offs to the final game of the season and a winner-takes-all meeting with the Chicago Fire in the Windy City on Sunday.

Yallop continued: "It's like a cup final obviously for us, trying to get into the play-offs.

"If we come out right in the game we can get a result.

"That's important, to try and get that home win. To continue our run and obviously continue our season."

It's a drastic turn of events from the time Beckham was last seen on the field, when the Galaxy were in the middle of a four-game losing streak which sent them to the foot of the Western Conference.

The key to the recent run, according to Yallop, has been a settled team as the injury crisis which struck in August has eased, if not lifted entirely.

Key players are still missing, but Yallop has at least been able to field unchanged teams from week to week, and that helps explain his reluctance to put Beckham straight back into the side.

It would be fitting if Beckham were able to face New York, the only team against which he has managed 90 minutes in the league this season for Los Angeles.

That game, played in front of more than 65,000 fans at Giants Stadium, was one of the most memorable in MLS history as New York emerged 4-3 winners.