NYCFC vs Atlanta United FC preview: The Ronny Deila reunion game | OneFootball

After five games, one can say that New York City FC is having a respectable start to the season under their new head coach, Pascal Jansen.  The Pigeons have a record of 2-1-2 and sit in eighth place with eight points in the Eastern Conference.  They have won both of their home games and earned two points on the road, with just the Inter Miami CF game being the one where three points were lost.

Therefore, NYCFC will try to increase their point total on the road when they battle it out against Atlanta United FC.  The two sides have shared the spoils during their last four games.  The last win came in 2022, and that was thanks to the Pigeons.  Hence, the recent history means they can easily secure another draw away from home, or possibly even steal all three points.

In addition, the Bronx side will reunite with their former head coach, Ronny Deila. The Norwegian led NYCFC to their first-ever MLS Cup Championship. While there was some criticism during his tenure, the trophy and success during the first part of 2022 are why he was a great coach for the team. Fans can only wonder where 2022 would have gone if he had not left and if Nick Cushing had not taken over.

Of course, for those who played under Deila, it will be a nice reunion.  There will also be the drive to beat Atlanta and for the new coach to outcoach the old one.  As such, here is a preview of the match between NYCFC and Atlanta United.

NYCFC vs Atlanta United FC preview

Date

NYCFC and Atlanta United will play one another on Saturday, March 29.

Time

The fixture is at 7:30 PM ET.

Location

The game will take place in Atlanta, Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

How to watch

Supporters can watch the match on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass.

Weather

Outside of the stadium, it will be cloudy and 73 degrees The humidity will also be decent with about 45%.  With only a slight chance of rain, Atlanta could leave the roof open.

Injury report

Jacob Arroyave (knee), Tayvon Gray (leg), Malachi Jones (leg), and Andrés Perea (hip) are unavailable for Saturday’s game.  Nico Cavallo is back and it appears Keaton Parks avoided any significant injury after coming out early last week.

Players to watch

NYCFC supporters should watch Matt Freese.  The goalkeeper had a spectacular performance last week.  The defense overall was superb, but Freese and his five saves were a major reason why the Pigeons made it out of Columbus with one point.  The goalkeeper continues to be vital for the team, so everyone should watch to see whether he can continue his recent success in Atlanta.

Fans should also pay attention to the Five Stripes’ newest player, Emmanuel Latte Lath.  Despite the one win, the striker has four goals so far.  He has taken Major League Soccer by storm and will be highly threatening towards Freese and the backline.

While normally one prediction is mentioned, this time there are two.  NYCFC and Atlanta will at least draw 1-1.  The Pigeons can win though if they capitalize on a mistake by the Georgian team. They must pounce though and take advantage.  Otherwise, one should expect the Boys in Blue to leave with at least one point.