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NederlandIt is a battle of the Uniteds as DC United take on Atlanta United at Audi Field in the MLS Eastern Conference on Saturday night.
Just three points separates the two teams but the home side are well inside the playoff spots in sixth while their opponents sit in ninth.
Match preview
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In 2021, Hernan Losada has seen his team score their fair share of goals, notching more than once in eight matches this year, but they have been conceding too many to get near the top of the table, particularly in their last two games.
A chastening 5-2 loss to Nashville SC on Saturday was followed up by another high-scoring match against the Eastern Conference Leaders New England Revolution on Wednesday.
Paul Arriola gave DC an early lead, only to leave the match moments after with an apparent left hamstring injury, and despite making it to half time with that lead intact, things unravelled very quickly after play restarted.
Two quick-fire New England goals in the space of four minutes put them ahead, and a third late on secured the win, despite a late consolation from Ramon Abila to make it 3-2.
While there is certainly no shame in losing to the runaway leaders, Losada will have to find a way to stop his team conceding with such apparent ease and to improve what is a poor away record - those two recent losses on the road make it seven in total this season.
DC may be above the playoff line as we enter the second half of the season, but if they want to remain in the top seven and possibly make a strong run in the postseason, they need to start earning some points both on their travels and against the stronger sides in the league.
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Neither of those issues may come into play in this particular fixture, however, with DC playing at home against an Atlanta side who have had a fair few troubles of their own this year.
The Five Stripes experienced a painful, 12-game winless streak earlier between May and August after a relatively promising start to the season.
They appear to have turned things around, though, at least in part thanks to the appointment of new manager Gonzalo Pineda, and made it three consecutive victories with a 1-0 triumph against Toronto on Wednesday.
Ezequiel Barco scored the all-important goal - with a little help from a deflection - after 20 minutes and former Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan kept the Reds at bay for the remainder of the game.
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Team News
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As previously mentioned, Arriola will likely be out for a few games now with a hamstring issue - a recurrence of an injury he struggled with whilst playing for the US men's national team at the Concacaf Gold Cup last month.
He is just one of a long list of injuries for DC, who are missing Brendan Hines-Ike with a hip injury, Adrien Perez with a foot problem and Russell Canouse with an ankle issue.
Nigel Robertha, Bill Hamid and Donovan Pines are also still on the sidelines.
Atlanta are not short of problems either; Franco Ibarra remains out with a muscle injury, as do Mohammed Adams and Jake Mulraney.
Emerson Hyndman is a long-term absence with an ACL injury, but there are some positives with both Brooks Lennon and Luiz Araujo returning for the game against Toronto.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Kempin; Odoi-Atsem, Brillant, Birnbaum; Yow, Asad, Felipe, Skundrich, Mora; Reyna, Flores
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Bello, Walkes, Franco, Robinson, Lennon; Moreno, Sosa, Araujo; Barco, Martinez
We say: DC United 2-1 Atlanta United
Something will have to give - either the strong home record of DC or the current winning streak of Atlanta. We think, on the balance of things, DC will have just too much for the visitors, but it should be an interesting battle.
