New York Red Bulls vs Atlanta United - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams with lone pridefulness to play for connected MLS Decision Day volition conscionable connected Saturday arsenic the New York Red Bulls adjacent retired the regular play against Atlanta United astatine Sports Illustrated Stadium.

A 3-2 decision astatine Nashville SC officially eliminated the Red Bulls from playoff contention, portion the Five Stripes bushed Toronto 3-1 but beryllium 13th successful the East, 3 places beneath their upcoming opponents.

Match preview

Before the commencement of 2025, the Red Bulls had the longest tally of playoff appearances successful the league (15 years), but present their fans volition not spot immoderate post-season fixtures for their nine successful back-to-back campaigns.

Michael Bradley failed to get them implicit the playoff enactment this clip around, and their decision past play means they tin decorativeness with 42 points astatine astir this season, which would beryllium their worst-ever 34-match run regarding points.

They cooled disconnected astatine the astir inopportune infinitesimal successful 2026, losing 4 of their past 5 home affairs heading into this game.

Defensively, they person a batch of enactment to bash successful the off-season, boasting the second-highest expected goals conceded mean successful the Eastern Conference this twelvemonth (65.3).

In the 2026 regular season, this squad person dropped 10 points erstwhile scoring archetypal successful MLS, though lone 2 of them occurred astatine Sports Illustrated Stadium.

The Red Bulls are undefeated astatine location versus Atlanta, winning this nonstop fixture past twelvemonth by a 2-0 score.

For the archetypal clip successful nine history, Atlanta United person failed to marque the playoffs connected consecutive occasions, lacking consistency each play long.

Gerardo Martino’s broadside volition decorativeness somewhat amended than past play regarding points, boasting 33 truthful far, 5 much than they managed successful what was their worst-ever 34-game run successful 2025.

That said, if they endure a worse effect than DC United connected Decision Day, Atlanta would extremity 2026 successful 14th place, matching their worst-ever placement successful the Eastern Conference from past season.

One insignificant affirmative is that if they triumph this weekend, they volition scope 5 roadworthy victories for the year, marking their champion full this decade.

Consistency successful beforehand of extremity has wounded them successful 2026, with the Five Stripes averaging the third-fewest goals per crippled among Eastern Conference teams (1.3).

Atlanta United person points successful their past 3 Decision Day outings, each extracurricular Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including a 2-1 triumph astatine Orlando City successful their last regular-season outing of 2024.

New York Red Bulls Major League Soccer form:

Atlanta United Major League Soccer form:

Team News

With thing to play for, it is improbable we volition spot Justin Che connected the tract for the Red Bulls successful this upcoming fixture arsenic helium deals with a genu injury, portion Ronald Donkor and Dylan Nealis are eligible to instrumentality from their suspensions.

Julian Hall and Rafael Mosquera scored successful their decision versus Nashville, with the erstwhile netting successful his past 2 league outings.

On the Atlanta side, Will Reilly is dealing with an ankle wounded and Enea Mihaj is doubtful owed to a hep issue.

Miguel Almiron, Cooper Sanchez and Aleksei Miranchuk netted astatine location to Toronto to springiness them a comfy 3 points.

New York Red Bulls imaginable starting lineup:

Horvath; Nealis, Parker, Bazan, Padelford; Mehmeti, Forsberg, Ruvalcaba; Cowell, Hall, Mosquera

Atlanta United imaginable starting lineup:

Hoyos; Jacob, Diaz, Alonso, Baez; Muyumba, Amaro; Miranchuk, Galoppo, Almiron; Embolo

We say: New York Red Bulls 1-2 Atlanta United

Despite their struggles successful New Jersey, we expect to spot a deflated Red Bulls squad this weekend, who lone person themselves to blasted for missing the playoffs yet again.

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