Preview: East Bengal, Chennaiyin FC eye first win over each other

Both teams have suffered a 2-0 loss in their previous game.

East Bengal will be back on the pitch on Friday after their derby defeat. They will try to get back to winning ways against Chennaiyin FC who also faced a defeat in their last game against FC Goa. Consequently, the Marina Machans will also seek to get back to winning ways. East Bengal is currently placed ninth with three points from four games. Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC find themselves in the seventh position with four points from three outings.

It will be an important game for East Bengal as they lost the derby match for the seventh consecutive time. The match will be in Kolkata and it is expected that fans will come in numbers. They will want a strong reaction from the team. Chennaiyin started the season well but lost their way a bit in the last two games. Their fans will also want the team to make a comeback against an inconsistent Red & Gold Brigade.

In light of these, let us take a look at what the encounter has to offer.

The Stakes

East Bengal

Friday's game is of supreme importance for the Red & Golds. They will be under immense pressure to win the game in an attempt to redeem their derby loss. A win should also be highly valuable now to raise the team's morale. Even though they lost against ATK Mohun Bagan, their gameplay was good, especially in the first half. The side showed glimpses of what they did against NorthEast United. Thus, in Friday's game, Constantine and his men would be eyeing a win to get over the derby loss and have a positive push toward the upcoming season.

East Bengal is currently placed ninth on the points table. They have played four matches and have won only one. Three points on Friday will take them to six points and push them toward the top half of the table, which East Bengal fans would love to see.

Chennaiyin FC

The encounter is of similar significance for Chennaiyin FC as well. They also have only one victory from their tally of three. They had a good start when they beat ATK Mohun Bagan in Kolkata. But since then, they have lost one and drawn one. They are just two places above East Bengal and need points to stay on the hunt for a top-six finish.

There is no doubt the Marina Machans will go all-out to get three points from Friday's game. Similar to East Bengal, they will also try to get back their momentum as soon as possible. The fact that East Bengal is a bit distraught due to the manner of their derby defeat will provide the side from Tamil Nadu an added impetus to eye a win.

Also Read:

• A top team is not built in a day, says Stephen Constantine
• Need to put up good fight against East Bengal, says Thomas Brdaric

Team News

East Bengal will miss the services of Naveen Kumar who is ruled out of the campaign due to an injury. Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC have Anirudh Thapa back in training after week since he encountered a minor muscle injury. Kwame Karikari is injured for this game.

Head-to-Head

To date, East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC have met four times in ISL. All four games have ended in draws.

Probable Line-ups

East Bengal: Kamaljit Singh (GK); Sarthak Golui, Lalchungnunga, Ivan Gonzalez, Jerry Lalrinzuala, VP Suhair, Jordan O'Doherty, Charalambos Kyriakou, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Cleiton Silva, Semboi Haokip

Chennaiyin FC: Devansh Dabas(GK); Ajith Kumar, Vafa Hakhamaneshi, Fallou Diagne, Narayan Das, Jiteshwor Singh, Julius Düker, Prasanth K, Anirudh Thapa, Rahim Ali, Petar Slišković

Man to Watch

Jordan O'Doherty (East Bengal)

There were a lot of speculations regarding how O'Doherty will play in the ISL before the start of the season. Till date, he has been able to provide relief to East Bengal fans in that regard. He has shown consistency in all the matches in which he played and was one of the best performers for his side in the derby. He is trying his best to bring life to East Bengal's attacking midfield.

In their match against NorthEast United, O'Doherty played a leading role alongside Kyriakou in his side's victory. Thus, the Red & Gold fans would demand his best game against Chennaiyin FC, which undoubtedly will be crucial to get East Bengal back to winning.

Jiteshwor Singh (Chennaiyin FC)

Jiteshwor Singh has been no short of a wonder kid for Chennaiyin this season so far. He has started all the league games till date and has been an integral part in Thomas Brdaric's system. He is a defensive midfielder who provides stability to the club's defensive organisation just above the backline.

There is no doubt that he will be given the responsibility to stop East Bengal's midfielders from stringing passes in Chennaiyin's half. With his current form, it will not be easy for East Bengal forwards to roam freely around Chennaiyin FC's penalty box. Additionally, he might also go up to aid the side's attacks, causing more worry to Stephen Constantine.

Did You Know?

• Chennaiyin FC has won the league title twice, once in 2015 and again in the 2017-18 season.
• Despite being only 24 years old, Anirudh Thapa has made 106 appearances for Chennaiyin. He has never played for any other ISL club.
• East Bengal will be playing Chennaiyin FC for the first time at Kolkata.
• Both East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC suffered a 2-0 loss in their previous game.

Telecast

The match between East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC will take place at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, popularly known as the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, West Bengal, on November 4 (Friday). The kick-off time is 7:30 pm IST. The game will be telecasted live on the Star Sports Network. Disney+HotStar and JioTV will also stream the match.