After Thursday's big win over FC Cincinnati, D.C. United head to Georgia on Sunday to take on Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a chance to solidify their hold on second place in the Eastern Conference. Either team will take over the second spot in the conference, behind the Philadelphia Union, with a victory in the second meeting between the two teams this year. However, a win for the Black-and-Red would take them at least four points ahead of the third-placed team in the division. 

Kickoff is set for 4 PM ET and the game will be aired on ESPN.

A stretch of just one win in nine games had D.C.'s spot in the Eastern Conference under pressure before a 4-1 win in the Queen City on Thursday. Lucas Rodriguez scored twice, and Wayne Rooney and Paul Arriola netted the other goals in United's fourth win away from Audi Field this season. Head coach Ben Olsen kept the same formation from last week's draw against the New England Revolution but used Chris Seitz in goal instead of Bill Hamid. 

For Sunday's tilt, Olsen will have to decide if he wants to keep the same three-center back formation or switch his side back to the 4-2-3-1 with the return of Luciano Acosta from suspension. The playmaker missed the last two games after picking up a red card against FC Dallas, which led Olsen to use the 3-4-2-1 look against Cincy and New England.

The reintroduction of rookie center back Donovan Pines helped open up the attack from United's right side, as Leonardo Jara scored against the Revs and assisted on Rooney's goal against Cincinnati. But if Acosta returns directly to the starting lineup against the Five Stripes, then Pines could be the player who misses out on a starting assignment. 

Sunday's game will be the third time that D.C. have visited the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. In 2017, United won 3-1 at Bobby Dodd Stadium before the new stadium was opened. In two visits in 2018, though, the Black-and-Red suffered two 3-1 defeats. In the opening game this year, D.C. got the better of Frank de Boer's side at Audi Field, with Acosta and Arriola providing the goals in a 2-0 victory. 

Though Atlanta have inched closer to their counterparts in the standings in recent weeks, results for the third-year club have been inconsistent. On Wednesday, Atlanta destroyed the Houston Dynamo 5-0. That resounding win ended a three-game winless streak, during which Atlanta picked up just one point while suffering an embarrassing 5-1 loss at the Chicago Fire.

But while Atlanta might still have not found their top gear as a club, Josef Martinez is scoring at will once again, a year after smashing the MLS single-season scoring record. The Venezuelan has six goals in his past four games in all competitions for Atlanta and has 15 league goals in 18 games this year. Those 15 goals trail just two other players in MLS in 2019, superstars Carlos Vela and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

Atlanta will be without two of their more influential attacking players, with Ezequiel Barco and Hector Villalba out injured. In the meantime, Pity Martinez has still not yet settled in with his new club, clashing with de Boer on several occasions. Martinez played 16 minutes as a substitute against the Dynamo, notching just two goals and five assists in league play this year. The reigning South American player of the year has yet to meet the lofty expectations that Atlanta were hoping for in replacing Miguel Almiron. 

A fifth win away from home this year would see the Black-and-Red surpass their total combined away wins from 2017 and 2018, when the team won just four away games.

Predicted D.C. United Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bill Hamid, Joseph Mora, Steven Birnbaum, Frederic Brillant, Leonardo Jara, Junior Moreno, Russell Canouse, Lucas Rodriguez, Luciano Acosta, Paul Arriola, Wayne Rooney