That also makes coach Sigi Schmid's choice to pair either rookie Andy Iro or veteran converted midfielder Danny O'Rourke with Chad Marshall in the middle even more critical.
"Competition brings out the best in everybody and he (Iro) wants to stay on the field. His focus and concentration the last two games have been very good," Schmid said.
Schelotto has two goals and eight assists in the past four games to lead the Crew to the top of the overall standings. He had a stretch of contributing to 10 consecutive goals snapped on the Crew's final goal against New England on Sept. 7 while he was on the bench.
He and central midfielder Brad Evans have been bothered by nagging leg injuries this week and playing on the artificial turf at BMO Field might not help, said Schmid. Evans status for Saturday is unclear.
"Sometimes if you have someone with a little knock or injury you hold them off the turf," Schmid said.
Pat Noonan could take Schelotto's spot in the lineup although, obviously, he doesn't have the playmaking ability of Schelotto, the MLS assist leader with 18. It could be more of a traditional two-forward look if Schmid goes in that direction. Schelotto is a withdrawn forward or hybrid midfielder.
Another possibility is putting either Jason Garey or Steven Lenhart up top with Alejandro Moreno, assuming Moreno has no problems after playing 90 minutes Tuesday for Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier.
A more likely scenario if Evans is sidelined is a 4-5-1 with Stefani Miglioranzi his possible replacement. The fifth midfielder could be Noonan or Emmanuel Ekpo.
It could get complicated for Schmid and his staff but that's the luxury of having depth without a big drop in skill. The same is true on the backline where the pieces fit nicely the previous two matches but movement is afoot for Toronto.
At FC Dallas on Aug. 30, the back four consisted of Gino Padula on the left, Frankie Hejduk on the right with Marshall and Iro as the center backs. The Crew won 2-1 while O'Rourke served a suspension for yellow card accumulation.
With Hejduk away with the U.S. national team last week, O'Rourke replaced Hejduk. Iro had a goal in the 45th minute as part of a 4-0 win vs. the Revolution.
"Iro the last two games has played very well," Schmid said. "Chad Marshall has to be a candidate for defender of the year the way he's played all season."
Now that Hejduk has rejoined the club (he did not play Wednesday in the U.S. win against Trinidad and Tobago), Iro is once again on the bubble.
"He's making a case to hold on to it. That's one thing we have to look at and see how it goes. Right now the team is playing well. We've had two good results the last two weeks," Schmid said. "We've had good results with Danny O'Rourke in the middle of the defense as well so from that standpoint we're confident whichever way we go."
Iro, who hails from Liverpool, England, and the University of California-Santa Barbara, welcomes the challenge.
"When you're playing well then you don't really mind competing for the spot because you have confidence at least in your own mind that you're doing the right things," he said. "When you're not playing so well and things aren't going well and you're not in the starting lineup it's more frustrating on the personal front because you think you can be doing better.
"It's a long season. There's a lot of ups and downs, a lot of injuries and suspensions so you have to stay positive through it all. The fact I'm playing well, I'm happy whether I'm in the starting lineup or a role player."
Marshall is having his best season since being the second pick in the 2004 SuperDraft despite having to break in Iro and O'Rourke, who was moved from the midfield in the offseason and has played at left and right back as well.
"I know each of their tendencies and they know mine so we work together no matter who's in there," he said.
O'Rourke received accolades from Marshall. "He's made a lot of progress. It's definitely different going from being in the middle of the park to the middle of the back and organizing stuff," Marshall said. "He's always had that leadership quality about him so it wasn't going to be too difficult a task."
Meanwhile, Iro (6-5) and Marshall (6-4) present an imposing presence at both ends. Iro's header off a Schelotto free kick last week was his first goal.
"He's become a lot better player," Marshall said of Iro. "Obviously, he has the physical attributes but his understanding of the game has gotten a lot better and it shows in the last two games. He's been lights out against some of the best forwards in the league."
Although Marshall, who turned 24 on Aug. 22, is only three months older than Iro, there is a teacher-pupil relationship because of Marshall's experience in the league.
"Chad, as the season goes on, has started talking a lot more and starting to pull people into position a lot more. As a younger guy you need that kind of guidance. Strangely enough, we're the same age but he's a vet," Iro said. "As long as he's talking and directing me I can hopefully talk and direct people in front of me and then it works."
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