Preview: Bottom-placed NorthEast United, Jamshedpur FC fight for pride

The teams are placed 10th and 11th, respectively.

NorthEast United are having the most awful season one could imagine of. In 14 games, the Highlanders have managed to come up with only four points. NorthEast’s first point of the season came in late 2022, nearly three months after the start of the campaign, when they defeated ATK Mohun Bagan. The club is on the verge of having the worst season in the history of the ISL, and need to take quick action in order to save face. And at such a juncture, they meet Jamshedpur FC, who are going through a similar situation.

As mentioned earlier, fate hasn’t been much different for Jamshedpur FC. Last year’s ISL Shield winners currently find themselves 10th in the table, and are out of the top-six race. Even after having an experienced and talented contingent, Aidy Boothroyd’s team has not been able to perform at all, and have been in pretty poor form. The Men of Steel have only picked nine points throughout the season, and will be looking to commemorate the same on a positive note with a few wins.

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

The Stakes

NorthEast United

NorthEast United will be desperate to get a win against a struggling Jamshedpur FC on Saturday. The Highlanders have shown true fighting spirit in the past few games, and can challenge the Men of Steel, who are struggling at the moment.

Vincenzo Alberto Annese's side would be playing for pride, and would want to pick up some points and finish with a provable position in the league. The Highlanders need five more points from their final four games, to avoid the tag of the team with the least points in an ISL season ever.

Jamshedpur FC

Jamshedpur would want to get a win from their trip to Guwahati, and finish the season with the best possible results. Though the side has had a poor season, this is a fixture that can help them climb the charts, and go level on points with East Bengal.

Jamshedpur come into this game on the back of two defeats, and would want to reinstate their confidence, in their undue quest of finishing the season on a good note.

Injury & Team News

NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC have a fit squad (as of now). The Highlanders will however, miss Wilmar Jordan due to suspension.

Head-to-Head

To date, NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC have met 11 times in ISL.

NorthEast United – 1

Jamshedpur FC – 5

Drawn – 5

Predicted Line-ups

NorthEast United (4-2-3-1)

Mirshad Michu (GK); Joe Zoherliana, Alex Saji, Aaron Evans, Hira Mondal; Joseba Beitia, Mohammed Irshad; Parthhib Gogoi, Romain Philippoteaux, Emil Benny; Kule Mbombo

Jamshedpur FC (4-2-3-1)

Vishal Yadav (GK); Laldinliana Renthlei, Eli Sabia, Pratik Chaudhari, Ricky Lallawmawma; Germanpreet Singh, Pronay Halder; Boris Singh, Rafael Crivellaro, Ritwik Das; Daniel Chima Chukwu

Player to Watch

Joseba Beitia (NorthEast United)

Joseba played well in his debut against Kerala a few days ago. The Spaniard was dynamic and equally poised in both phases of the game. Beitia was crucial for the Highlanders in the middle of the park, as he won a number of duels and made the team more fluid with his great passing.

Against Jamshedpur, the 32-year-old will play in front of the NorthEast fans for the very first time, and will surely be someone the faithfuls will have their eyes set on.

Rafael Crivellaro (Jamshedpur FC)

The introduction of the Brazilian into the Jamshedpur FC line-up has worked wonders for Aidy Boothroyd. He is yet to fire, of course, but his creativity has been the Midas touch the Men of Steel were lacking. He will certainly be the man orchestrating the midfield and linking it with the final and defensive third. The NorthEast midfield should mark him closely, else he can run riot!

Did You Know?

• NorthEast United (13) and Jamshedpur (14) have scored the least goals amongst all teams in the ISL 2022-23.
• Both teams come into this game on the back of two successive defeats.
• The last game between the two teams ended with a 1-0 victory for Jamshedpur.

Telecast

The live telecast of the NorthEast United vs Jamshedpur FC match will be available on the Star Sports Network. The live stream of the fixture can be viewed on Disney+Hotstar and JioTV. Kick-off is at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.