Third place plays fifth in the East this week as Atlanta travels to New England on Wednesday evening.
United will look to leapfrog the Revolution in the standings and jump toward the top of the table that currently sees six teams separated by just four points.
Jack Collins here from The Game Day to look at a matchup between two good sides who find themselves in entirely different situations ahead of Matchday 25.
New England Revolution vs Atlanta United Odds
New England Revolution vs Atlanta United betting lines are current as of July 10, at 12 p.m. ET and were found at bet365 Sportsbook.
- Three-Way Moneyline: New England (-125) • Tie (+280) • Atlanta (+300)
- Total Goals: Over 2.5 (-175) • Under 2.5 (+135)
- Both Teams To Score: Yes (-188) • No (+137)
New England Revolution vs Atlanta United Match Prediction
New England Revolution 3:1 Atlanta United
We know that home advantage plays a more significant part in MLS than it does in most global leagues, but in a game like this one, it might well be the single defining factor in splitting two teams that don’t feel like there’s much between them - and splitting them comprehensively.
While the Revs have played one game fewer than the Five Stripes in this MLS campaign so far, there are just two points between them in the table, two places between them in the table, and four goals between them in their differentials.
The reverse fixture gave us a 3-3 thriller in Georgia, where the Revs had taken a first-half two-goal lead, only for the home side to roar back to lead 3-2 in injury time before Carles Gil scored a last-gasp equalizer to share the spoils - and it felt like a fitting end to a wild encounter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
That might suggest that this match should be tough to call, but almost everybody has found their trips to Gillette Stadium to bear very little fruit. In 10 home games in Foxborough, the Revs have taken 24 points, outscoring opponents by 23 goals to 9 - and you have to go back to May to find the last time they dropped points at home.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s star has been far brighter at home, too - their road record has them averaging just a point a game, with two wins, four losses, and five draws on their travels this season.
That’s not a dreadful record, but it’s equally not one that inspires vast amounts of confidence going into a game at one of the stadiums in which it’s toughest to get a result on the road in the entire country.
At full strength, it’s almost impossible to write Atlanta off in any game, but the past few weeks have seen a few issues start to rear their head for the Five Stripes. Andrew Gutman, the club’s starting left-back until June 25th, was traded to Colorado at the start of July.
If that wasn’t wild enough, despite starting 15 of the 21 games he was available for this season, central midfielder Franco Ibarra has been loaned to Toronto FC due to Atlanta mismanaging their squad and having too many U22 Initiative players on the books.
Ibarra has publicly stated he didn’t want to leave Atlanta and that the move has caused him “pain and sadness,” which isn’t an excellent look for Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra. Ibarra was well-liked around the squad and has earned his spot in the starting XI this year with a series of good performances - yet he is being shunted out unwillingly.
To add injury to insult, DP star striker and leading goal scorer Giorgos Giakoumakis missed Atlanta’s win at Montréal with an ankle injury he picked up in the game against Philadelphia, and his availability remains a huge question mark ahead of their trip to New England, while Miles Robinson is still on international duty at the Gold Cup.
The Revs have far fewer issues. Talisman Carles Gil missed the loss at Red Bulls after an accumulation of yellow cards, but he will return for this game. Even in that loss, though, missing their star player and having to play for the last 30 minutes a man down, the Revs will feel aggrieved that they were disallowed a late equalizer by an offside call, despite a deflection from a Red Bulls defender.
Latif Blessing will be suspended after that red card, but expect Ian Harkes to step into his role - he’s jumped back to MLS after four years in Scotland with Dundee United and has plenty of experience in the center of the park.
New England Revolution vs Atlanta United Best Bet
Total Goals: Over 2.5 (-175) • bet365 Sportsbook
The absences of Gutman, Robinson, and Ibarra make this Atlanta side fundamentally weaker in defensive areas, and with the Revs' record of five games in a row with at least three goals, plenty of names on the scoresheet looks likely again.
Carles Gil Anytime Goalscorer (+225) • bet365 Sportsbook
Back from a weekend off after missing the trip to New York through suspension, Gil will be chomping at the bit to set things right, and after scoring twice in the reverse fixture, he knows what it takes to unlock this Atlanta defense.
