TODAY’S MATCHUP: ATLANTA UNITED AT NYCFC

Atlanta United (3-2-0) at NYCFC (1-4-1), 7:30 p.m., Citi Field.

■ TV: AppleTV

■ NYCFC manager:

Nick Cushing ■ Atlanta United away record: 0-2-0

■ NYCFC home record: 1-1-0

■ NYCFC goals for/ against: 4/8

■ NYCFC expected goals for/against: 5.3/8.7

■ Atlanta United goals for/against: 9/4

■ Atlanta United expected goals for/ against: 7.7/6.0

■ Atlanta United alltime vs NYCFC: 4-5-6, 1-4-3 away NYCFC KEY PLAYERS

■ Santiago Rodriguez: Two goals

■ Alonso Martinez: One goal

■ Kevin O’Toole: One goal UNITED KEY PLAYERS

■ Giorgos Giakoumakis: Four goals

■ Jamal Thiare: Two goals

■ Saba Lobjanidze: One goal, three assists

■ Brooks Lennon: Three assists INJURY REPORTS Atlanta United

■ Out: Stian Gregersen (knee), Xande Silva (adductor) and Giakoumakis (knee) NYCFC

■ None reported STORYLINES TO WATCH

1. Getting a road result?

Atlanta United 0-2-0 on the road, with no goals scored. Based upon its history away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, those results are more the norm than unusual. MLS teams can win a possible

51 points from its 17 road games. Just once in its history has the team taken more than half that total. In the six non-COVID-19 affected seasons, the team has taken a total of 107 points, or an average of 19.5 per season. 2. Jamal Thiare in.

Thiare likely will replace Giakoumakis at striker. Thiare scored two goals in Sunday’s win against Chicago. Can he replicate that success as a starter?

3. Field size. Atlanta United has yet to play NYCFC at Citi Field, home of the Mets. Every team knows that dimensions of the pitch at Yankee Stadium, NYCFC’s usual home, don’t meet the FIFA’s minimum standards. Atlanta United is unsure if the pitch on Citi Field will be closer to normal. Pineda said the team has practiced as if it’s a few yards more narrow than a normal pitch. WHAT WAS SAID

“We’re going to go there, and we’re going to play our style. We’re going to play our identity, and we’re going to do what we do best and go for three points.”– Caleb Wiley

“It may change the way that we have to play, the

size of the pitch, and we’re ready for that. But at the end of the day, we’re going to try and do what we work on during the week since the start of the season.”

– Jay Fortune

“The job is to win this one so we can get two points per game. With that we kind of make up for the other two games that we didn’t win away. And you know the formula - we need a tie at least away - is a good formula to get in the top four and compete for the (Supporters Shield). So we have that objective of winning this game.”

– Gonzalo Pineda

ATLANTA UNITED’S PREDICTED 11

■ Goalkeeper Brad Guzan

■ Centerback Derrick Williams

■ Centerback Noah Cobb

■ Right fullback Brooks Lennon

■ Left fullback Caleb Wiley

■ Defensive midfielder Bartosz Slisz

■ Midfielder Tristan Muyumba

■ Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada

■ Winger Saba Lobjanidze

■ Winger Tyler Wolff

■ Striker Jamal Thiare

JASON GETZ/JASON.GETZ@AJC.COM United manager Gonzalo Pineda, with Saba Lobjanidze as he comes off the field, says the focus is on stepping up its road production today.