By: Alex Jenkins (@acjenkins17, @1788sports)

Photo: Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP

Tonight at 8:00 PM, Atlanta United (2-0-1) take on Minnesota United (2-0-2) at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. Last season the teams split their season matches, with both teams winning on the road. Atlanta demolished Minnesota in their first ever road game, beating the opposition 6-1 behind a snow-fueled hat trick from Josef Martínez and a brace from Miguel Almirón. Minnesota beat Atlanta 3-2, which was their first ever loss at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, although Atlanta was playing a good portion of the game with 10 men due to goalkeeper Kyle Reynish picking up a red card.

Unfortunately, this Saturday looks to be repeat of the last time Atlanta traveled to Minnesota, cold and a chance of snow. This was not an issue for the team previously but these weather conditions can cause all sorts of chaos and unpredictability. Let’s hope that the Five Stripes can get a similar result to the last time the team visited the Twin Cities. Anyways, here is what I predict for the starting lineup:

I would imagine Atlanta will stick with the 3-5-2 formation that they have been using the last two games. I imagine there being only one change and that is Sal Zizzo in place of Franco Escobar, who is not traveling with the team due to the collision with goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Ezequiel Barco is not training with the first team yet and until he is deemed match ready I would be surprised if we went away from this formation. It gives the team great width going forward but also transitions nicely on the defensive end when Julian Gressel and Greg Garza drop into the backline making the formation a 5-3-2. Since the first game, United has only given up two goals in their new formation. Both goals came when the game was pretty much sealed up as a win, but nonetheless, they were scored on. I would like to see Atlanta maintain the poise and focus to keep a clean sheet but do not see it happening this game, mainly because of the weather conditions. Minnesota United has gotten a lot better overall as a team, compared to the first time the teams met in Minneapolis, so I do not see a blow out forthcoming but I think Atlanta will pick up three points comfortably.

Score prediction: Atlanta United 3 – Minnesota United 1