Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United – MLS, May 23, 2021

The Sounders’ remarkable start to the 2021 MLS season has seen them pick up five wins and a draw, making them the only unbeaten team left in the Western Conference. 

Seattle welcomes Atlanta to Lumen Field on Sunday, May 23, for their first cross-conference clash of the year. 

Over in the East, the Five Stripes (2-2-1) are ticking along nicely under new head coach Gabriel Heinze. But can they compete with the best team in Major League Soccer right now? 

In this Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United betting preview, I look at the MLS odds, assess the teams, and share my prediction and pick for Sunday’s showdown. 

As you would expect, the top sports betting sites haven’t sprung any surprises with their Sounders vs. Atlanta odds. 

High-flying Seattle is the firm favorite to claim all three points on Sunday, leaving Atlanta as the clear outsider. Still, Heinze’s men will fancy their chances of unsettling the hosts. 

Let’s take a closer look at the teams. 

It’s safe to say that the Sounders’ opening weekend thrashing of Minnesota United set the tone for their 2021 campaign. 

Seattle crushed the Loons 4-0 in Week 1 before drawing with LAFC the following weekend. Since then, Brian Schmetzer’s side has claimed four straight victories – opening up a four-point lead at the Western Conference summit. 

Three points only separate the top seven teams in the East, yet the Sounders have already taken full control of the West. 

Not only have Schmetzer’s men scored a whopping 13 goals across their opening six matches (2.2 goals per game), but they have also conceded just twice in that time. 

Raul Ruidiaz has netted five goals in six appearances. Brad Smith has chipped in with three goals and one assist. Fredy Montero is averaging a goal every other game. And Joao Paulo has contributed one goal and two assists. 

Even with first-choice goalkeeper Stefan Frei on the sidelines, Seattle looks scarily strong in every department. 

The Five Stripes head to Washington on a three-match unbeaten streak, including a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final. 

Granted, Atlanta was knocked out of the CCL following a 4-1 aggregate loss to Philadelphia. But a draw with Inter Miami and a victory over CF Montreal have seen the club cement fourth place in the East – three points behind first-place New England. 

It is still early days in the Heinze era, yet the early signs are promising. The Argentine has brought a fresh approach to Georgia, and his players are beginning to adapt. 

Having conceded just four goals in five MLS matches this year, ATL UTD boasts the second-best defensive record in the East. However, only five teams have scored fewer goals than Heinze’s men. 

If Josef Martinez can rediscover his best form, the Five Stripes will be extremely difficult to deal with at both ends of the field. 

Teams have found it tough to break Atlanta down this year. But with guys like Ruidiaz, Montero, and Smith in red-hot form, Seattle shouldn’t struggle to score goals on Sunday. 

On the topic of scoring goals, the Five Stripes needs to find the back of the net more often. Unfortunately for them, the Sounders have only conceded two goals in six games this season – achieving four shoutouts along the way. 

With that in mind, the home win is my Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United prediction.