Info to know: Atlanta United vs Houston

Atlanta United home record: 3-5-1

Houston goals for/against: 18/18

Houston expected goals for/against: 17.8/18.9

Atlanta United goals for/against: 22/21

Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 25.5/20.4

Key players in Houston

Ibrahim Aliyu: Four goals, two assists

Amine Bassi: Two goals, three assists

Sebastian Kowalcyzk: Three goals

Atlanta United key players

Saba Lobjanidze: Four goals, four assists

Thiago Almada: Four goals, two assists

Brooks Lennon: five assists

Jamal Thiare: Four goals

Injury reports (as of May 31)

Atlanta United

Out: Luis Abram (Copa America), Saba Lobjanidze (Euros), Stian Gregersen (hamstring) and Bartosz Slisz (Euros)

Questionable: Tyler Wolff (knee) and Giorgos Giakoumakis (negotiations)

Houston

None reported

What was said?

“Rob is the kind of guy that I think everyone, I think you all know, certainly everyone across the building, we all know has the respect and trust of everyone world in terms of relationships with individuals. We must look forward. We cannot look back. We must look forward and we must try to correct this. – Brad Guzan on interim manager Rob Valentino

“I think every time we step on the field, whether it’s at Mercedes-Benz or away, it’s a make-or-die situation for us right now. Every time we get results, we have to give it our all, because that’s how you turn things around. That’s how you turn around and make the playoffs, and we’re very capable of turning things around and making the playoffs this year. It starts with work and practice, and we have achieved it. –Brooks Lennon

“We just need to get things moving in the right direction.” And so I think for me a lot of it is mental. And if we can get a good result, a positive result at home, which means three points, then I think we can turn the page and start moving things forward and try to get back into the playoff conversation. –Dax McCarty

“If we make the same mistake, we’re in trouble. Make new mistakes, OK, great. We learn from the next one and move on. So I think it gives them that ability to be a little bit vulnerable, in that moment: “I’m going to try this route, if it succeeds, great, if it doesn’t, I’m going to work.” to get it back.’ So this is it. And then we try to simplify the message, in a way, about how we can give them some structure, but also some freedom within that structure. – Valentino

Officials crew

Arbitrator: Victor Rivas

Assistants: Chantal Boudreau and Jeffrey Swartzel

Fourth official: Ted Unkel

VAR: Jorge Gonzalez

AVAR: TJ Zablocki

Atlanta United predicts 11

Goaltender Brad Guzan

Central defender Efrain Morales

Central defender Noah Cobb

Central defender Derrick Williams

Right-back Brooks Lennon

Left back Caleb Wiley

Midfielder Dax McCarty

Midfielder Tristan Muyumba

Midfielder Thiago Almada

Midfielder Edwin Mosquera

Striker Jamal Thiare

For more Atlanta United content

Follow me on Twitter/X @DougRobersonAJC

On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now

On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson

Coverage of Atlanta United on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Southern Fried Soccer podcast can be found

Apple – https://apple.co/3ISD6Ve

Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3L8TN0C

Google Podcasts – https://bit.ly/32KlZW3

If you’re a first time listener, follow us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast…and if you like what you hear, give us a good rating so we can grow the show. If you have any questions about the MLS team, you can email Doug Roberson at [email protected]send him a private message on Twitter @dougrobersonajc or call 404-526-2527.

Stay up to date with breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment, food and more every day by becoming a subscriber to the AJC. Go to AJC.com/start for a very special offer and unlock hundreds of original articles published daily on the refreshed AJC.com site and new AJC mobile app. Plus, get access to our breaking news alerts, subscriber-only events, AJC original shows, movies and videos, newsletters and more.

Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

February 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in US Open Cup

May 11 DC United 3, Atlanta United 2

May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0

May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1

May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in US Open Cup

May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0

May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1

June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2

June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.

June 19 at DC United, 7:30 p.m.

June 22 in Saint-Louis, 8:30 p.m.

June 29 c. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.

July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.

July 13 in Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.

July 20 against Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

July 26 against DC United in the League Cup, 7:30 p.m.

August 4 against Santos Laguna in the League Cup, 4 p.m.

August 24 at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.

August 31 in Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

September 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

September 18 against Miami, 7:30 p.m.

September 21 at the Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

September 28 in Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

October 2 c. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

October 5 against Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

October 19 in Orlando, 6 p.m.