ISL 2023-24: NorthEast United eye Durand Cup revenge over East Bengal

NorthEast United and East Bengal are placed 6th and 9th in the ISL table, respectively.

East Bengal are eager to end a four-game winless run in the Indian Super League (ISL) when they host a rejuvenated NorthEast United side at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Monday, 4 December.

This could be a bit of an intense affair after the two sides played out a thrilling game in the Durand Cup semi-finals, with East Bengal aiming to replicate that result by getting another win over the Highlanders.

The Stakes

East Bengal

Carles Cuadrat has seen his side’s impressive start to the ISL campaign derailed over the last four games, having lost three of those fixtures. However, there were signs of resurgence against Chennaiyin FC and the Spanish boss will hope that East Bengal can pick up their performance level after that.

A win for the Red & Gold Brigade can be huge, as it’ll give motivation to the players that they can beat the other playoff contenders. It can get them closer to the top-six, but a loss can be particularly damning and potentially leave them six points adrift of the playoffs position.

NorthEast United

The Highlanders will probably be vying for revenge against East Bengal after suffering a gutting loss in the Durand Cup. Even though they are undefeated in six games, NorthEast United know that they need to win more games to push for a top-four finish this season.

Juan Pedro Benali will be eager to get one over Cuadrat this time around and knows that a win at the Salt Lake Stadium can recharge his side’s momentum levels. Another loss to East Bengal can feel particularly bitter and intensify the fight for the sixth spot.

Injury & Team News

East Bengal will be sweating on the fitness of midfielder Borja Herrera after he missed the last match due to injury issues. There are no injuries in the NorthEast United camp as of now.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches – 6

East Bengal Wins – 1

NorthEast United Wins – 3

Draws – 2

Predicted Lineups

East Bengal (4-3-3)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Harmanjot Khabra, Lalchungnunga, Hijazi Maher, Mandar Rao Dessai, Souvik Chakrabarti, Jose Pardo, Saul Crespo, PV Vishnu, Cleiton Silva. Naorem Mahesh Singh

NorthEast United (4-3-3)

Mirshad Michu (GK), Dinesh Singh, Asheer Akhtar, Michel Zabaco, Tondonba Singh, Phalguni Singh, Gani Nigam, Romain Philippoteaux, Redeem Tlang, Néstor Albiach, Parthib Gogoi

Players To Watch

Cleiton Silva (East Bengal)

Cleiton Silva might have scored three goals in the ISL season so far, but he hasn’t exactly made the kind of impact fans would’ve expected from him. The Brazilian forward needs to find that clutch spark in his game and light up his side’s attack. Cleiton has to prove that he’s not only a set-piece master but can also make things happen in open-play situations.

He has to convert the chances that are created for him, latching onto the final third passes and putting them away clinically. He also needs to create chances better and add a bit more unpredictability to East Bengal’s build-up play.

Parthib Gogoi (NorthEast United)

NorthEast United forward Parthib Gogoi has arguably been the breakout star in the 2023-24 ISL campaign and a major driving force for the Highlanders. With that being said, despite scoring three goals in his first three matches, Gogoi is now without a goal in four appearances. He is struggling to convert chances and needs to get himself out of this rut.

The 20-year-old is a feisty, unpredictable forward who can run rings around defenders with his clever movement and is capable of producing special goals. He needs to use his impressive shooting ability to thunder shots on goals and convert his opportunities ruthlessly to get back to flying form.

Did you know?

• East Bengal have been impressive with their pressing under Cuadrat, averaging 5.3 possessions won per game in the ISL 2023-24.
• Parthib Gogoi is the joint-highest-scoring Indian player in the ISL so far this season.
• Souvik Chakrabarti has averaged 2.7 successful tackles per 90 minutes in this ISL season, the third-best in the league.

Telecast

The East Bengal vs NorthEast United game kicks off at 8 PM IST, at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on 4 December. Live telecast of the fixture will be available on Sports18 Network (Sports18 1/VH1 Channel). Live streaming of the game will be available on the JioCinema app. Viewers from abroad can use OneFootball to stream the game.

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