Players who logged a lot of minutes in latest stretch will get rest.

By the time Atlanta United next plays, it will have a clearer idea if it can finish as high as second place in the Eastern Conference or if fourth will be a more realistic goal.

The Five Stripes are off this weekend. They are tied on points (49) with Colum- bus, Philadelphia and New England. They are all two points behind second-place Orlando. They have played one fewer matches than the Five Stripes, but they have games this week.

Philadelphia will host Dallas on Wednesday and will play at Columbus on Saturday. New England will host Charlotte and Orlando will host Montreal on Saturday.

Knowing its place in the standings, and with four of the five teams having played the same number of matches, Atlanta United will play two important matches, at Phil- adelphia on Oct. 4 and will host Columbus on Oct. 7.

To prepare, manager Gonzalo Pineda said the team will work on balance during the next week. Players who logged a lot minutes during the past eight days during which the team played three matches will get some rest. That group includes

Brooks Lennon, Caleb Wiley, Tristan Muyumba, Thiago Almada, Giorgos Giakou- makis, Miles Robinson and Luis Abram, who started all three matches.

Those who didn’t play a lot will get more work.

“We will try to balance the fitness levels,” Pineda said after Saturday’s 4-1 victory against Montreal.

As the team begins its preparations for Philadel- phia, Pineda said the team

will work on trying to move the ball quickly.

He anticipates opponents will continue to try to press Atlanta United. He wants his players to be faster in how they get through the midfield and get the ball to its quick players on the flanks. The team has been very good at doing that in its past seven matches.

“We will reflect and watch the video from this game and see where we can certainly be better,” goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. “And then later in the week we’ll start to prepare for Philly because, as you mentioned, it will certainly be a tough game. We know that. Anytime you go up there it’s a tough game. If we play like we know we can, we will certainly have a chance to get a result.”

MIKE STEWART/AP Montreal forward Chinonso Offor (left) and United defender Caleb Wiley collide in the first half of United’s 4-1 win Saturday. Wiley is among a group of players who will get some rest in the off-week, after putting in a lot of minutes during the last three matches.

AJ REYNOLDS/ATLANTA UNITED United forward Xande Silva celebrates after a goal during a 4-1 win over CF Montreal at Mercedes-benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday