- Atlanta United have failed to win their last 2 home games against New York Red Bulls.
- New York Red Bulls have won 2 and lost 2 of their away games in all competitions.
Pacey Red Bulls will pressure Atlanta’s midfield
Atlanta United arrive at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday on the back of a 2-game losing streak and the 1.81 favourites will need to turn their form around quickly when they face a dangerous New York Red Bulls side.
Jack Collison's team have been playing in a very narrow fashion recently, which can create some good chances from half-space overloads and immediate counter-press, but it leaves them vulnerable if the opposition press them deep and can disrupt their build-up.
Atlanta's last 5 games have seen no wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats, starting with a home loss to Philadelphia Union before a defeat to New England Revolution. Collison's men also drew at Charlotte FC last weekend. Their home form across all current competitions stands at 1 win and 1 loss with 4 goals at 2.00 per game.
Red Bulls will be on the front foot
New York Red Bulls have been a lot more consistent of late, particularly where they have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their last 5.
Ibrahim Sekagya's men press high and press hard, creating a smothering environment that can catch teams off guard if they aren't careful. The Red Bulls build their attacks on fast, vertical transitions and direct balls into the channels, which can punish teams that sit back or get caught on the break.
There's an intriguing contrast between Atlanta's control game and New York's suffocating press, which means the midfield battle will tell whether this match ends up being a slick home victory or a bit of a dogfight. Red Bulls have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 5 of their last 10 in all competitions, averaging 1.50 goals scored and 1.75 conceded away from home.
Red Bulls can upset odds
It's no surprise to see Atlanta as the odds-on favourites for this game, but the 1.81 edge for the hosts seems a little too generous when you consider that Red Bulls have won the last two H2H games and have the pacy and pressing power to keep this one on the edge of a knife.
We think the hosts will just edge it at home, but the draw at 4.1 is also worth a small wager with Red Bulls capable of pinching a result. Over 2.5 goals and BTTS, both odds of which look overpriced at 1.44 and 1.42 respectively, should cover a high-tempo, attacking encounter in Georgia.
