D.C. United seeks to stretch unbeaten streak to five vs. Revolution

D.C. United will aim to continue its best stretch of the season and climb closer to a playoff spot when it hosts a New England Revolution side desperate to regain its own momentum on Sunday night.

United (6-9-6, 24 points) is unbeaten in its last four matches and aims to close a three-match homestand at Audi Field with a third victory on Sunday night.

That stretch has included the most consistent production from former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

Last Sunday, the striker assisted on two goals in Luciano Acosta's first career MLS hat trick, including the cross on a memorable game-winning goal deep into stoppage time of D.C.'s 3-2 victory over Orlando City.

Rooney followed that with his first two-goal game for the Black-and-Red in a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in D.C.'s best team performance of the season.

The wins helped D.C. off the bottom of the Eastern Conference table and within six points of the playoff line. Though afterward, the 32-year-old Liverpool native urged focus.

"It's important that we take each game as it comes and our game Sunday is an important three points," Rooney said after Wednesday's win. "Our intention was to get nine points this week and we've put ourselves in quite a position to push for the playoffs. Hopefully, we can keep getting results and keep moving forward."

Meanwhile, New England (7-8-8, 29 points) is winless in its last six matches but still sits one point out of the playoff places in seventh, and above eighth-place D.C.

The Revolution have outshot their opponents in all six of those matches but have allowed five goals in that stretch after the 75th minute, including three in second-half stoppage time.

"We've been playing some really good soccer at a lot of times during this season and at a lot of times during this run," Revolution coach Brad Friedel said. "And we've very rarely been the second-best team on the field. We have to (do) the obvious. We have to defend set pieces better and cut out some individual mistakes."

The Revs could have some defensive help when they make their first visit to D.C.'s new stadium. English defender Michael Mancienne trained with the team for the first time on Thursday after he signed a deal to depart English lower division club Nottingham Forest in early August.

As for D.C., Lithuanian outside back Vytas could make his debut after he was acquired from Portland in a trade at the secondary transfer window deadline.