Atlanta United vs. Montreal: Three questions

Montreal Impact's Matteo Mancosu, right, takes a shot as Atlanta United's Michael Parkhurst defends during second half MLS soccer action in Montreal, Saturday, April 15, 2017. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Credit: Graham Hughes

Credit: Graham Hughes

Montreal Impact's Matteo Mancosu, right, takes a shot as Atlanta United's Michael Parkhurst defends during second half MLS soccer action in Montreal, Saturday, April 15, 2017. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Atlanta United (5-1-1) will host Montreal (2-5-0) on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Five Stripes are unbeaten in their last six with five wins. The Impact have lost three consecutive games. They are tied for the second-most goals allowed this season (17) while Atlanta United have scored the second-most (17).

Stu Cowan, a Montreal native, is a sports columnist with the Montreal Gazette and was previously the sports editor for the newspaper. His main focus in the Montreal Canadiens, but with them failing to make the NHL playoffs for the second time in three years he now has more time to write about MLS and the Montreal Impact.

He answered three Montreal-related questions about the game:

Q. Remi Garde seemed to call out the players a little bit following last week's loss. Was it justified and how was it received by the players?

A. Garde called out his players following a 5-3 loss to Los Angeles FC last Saturday at Saputo Stadium after his team allowed four unanswered goals while playing with 10 men after a red card to defender Victor Cabrera in the 31st minute. "It's more about your pride, about the fight you want to put in the game to win," the coach said. "And I think in the second half I didn't see a team that wanted to preserve the score and maybe to score one more." Most of the players agreed with the comments from their coach, who is in his first season with the Impact, and believe the team has to be mentally tougher after receiving red cards during two of the last three games, all losses while being outscored 12-4. "I think for the players we really want to use the week to get together and make sure that we as a group of players can figure out ways to do what we need to do on the field better regardless of the situation," defender Daniel Lovitz said.

Q. I think I know the answer to this because of the 17 goals allowed, but what is the single biggest position of need for this team and is their help on the way?

A. The Impact have allowed 17 goals in seven games and have a minus-8 goal differential. There are obviously problems on the back line after central defender Laurent Ciman was traded to LAFC during the offseason, and the goals against would be even higher if not for goalkeeper Evan Bush, who made 14 saves in the loss to LAFC.

Q. What is the matchup to watch in this game and how do you think it will play out?

A. Midfielder Ignacio Piatti scored all three goals for the Impact against LAFC and has four of his team's nine goals this season. If Atlanta United can shut down the Argentinian, who has been named the Impact's most valuable player the last three seasons, their chances of winning are very, very good. Midfielder Jeisson Vargas is second on the Impact with three goals and no other player has more than one.