East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan lineups, team news, prediction & preview

Both teams are gearing up to grab all three points from the contest.

East Bengal host a confident Mohun Bagan side in the first Kolkata derby of the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Saturday (19 October).

The Mariners are desperate to win momentum in the Jose Molina era, while the Red & Gold Brigade look to start a new chapter under Oscar Bruzon by finally getting points on the board.

The Stakes

East Bengal

East Bengal have had the worst possible start to the 2024-25 ISL campaign and are the only team to have lost all four matches so far. Things are just not going their way, as they’ve lacked that cutting-edge nature in the attack and been defensively sloppy. Bino George needs to work with his squad before the derby but has to make a few necessary tweaks so that they can handle themselves much better against Mohun Bagan.

He needs to ensure that their defensive shape is better. He’ll have them take the fight to Mohun Bagan and try to be especially dangerous on the swift transitional breaks. It’s not a case of East Bengal having ‘nothing to lose’ in the derby because this fixture is a matter of pride.

A draw can be a decent result for East Bengal, while a win can rapidly improve his side’s momentum and energy levels. But another damning defeat can take the team morale to an all-time low and move them further behind in the playoff race.

Mohun Bagan

The Mariners were able to at least head into the October international break with a big 3-0 win in the mini-Kolkata derby against Mohammedan SC. Now it’s time for them to prove that they can do the same in the more prominent derby. The Mariners have shown sparks of fiery form at the Salt Lake Stadium this season, but consistency is the name of the game if they aspire to compete for the ISL league championship.

Molina recognizes that East Bengal are in shaky form, but will urge his side to improve their overall defensive qualities to keep any surprises from popping up. He’ll, of course, have his side play on the front foot and look to create some beautiful moves with fast-paced and well-linked attacking patterns.

Another big win can not only help Mohun Bagan move up the ISL table, but significantly improve the players’ belief of competing for the top spot. But if they’re held to another draw or defeated, then the confidence levels will spiral down again and cause even more frustration all around.

ALSO READ: Mohun Bagan predicted lineup for East Bengal clash in ISL 2024-25 Kolkata Derby

Team & Injury News

Mohun Bagan will be sweating on the fitness levels of Sahal Abdul Samad, who missed the October break due to an issue.

East Bengal could welcome back Dimitrios Diamantakos for this match, but the forward’s ability to start the game remains under question. Naorem Mahesh Singh is also a doubt.

Head-to-Head

Total matches – 397

Mohun Bagan wins – 129

East Bengal wins – 141

Draws – 127

Predicted Lineup

Mohun Bagan (4-4-1-1)

Vishal Kaith (GK); Asish Rai, Tom Aldred, Alberto Rodriguez, Subhasish Bose; Anirudh Thapa, Lalengmawia Ralte, Manvir Singh; Greg Stewart, Jamie Maclaren

East Bengal (4-3-3)

Debjit Majumder (GK); Mohammad Rakip, Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Provat Lakra; Jeakson Singh, Saul Crespo, Souvik Chakrabarti; Madih Talal, Nandhakumar Sekar, Dimitrios Diamantakos

Players to Watch

Jamie Maclaren (Mohun Bagan)

Jamie Maclaren has had a stuttering start to his Mohun Bagan career because of injury issues, but he proved why he’s regarded so highly with a prolific performance in the mini-derby. The Australian forward was at his clinical best against Mohammedan, scoring a slick goal and linking up well with his teammates.

Maclaren almost seems to possess that smell for goals, with his impressive off-the-ball movement and clever positioning helping him be in the right places at the right time.

Jamie Maclaren has the biggest chance to become a Mohun Bagan hero by producing his most prolific performance against East Bengal. He’ll look to trouble their backline with his clever runs, but more importantly needs to nail his finishing or final passes to wreak havoc on the Red & Gold Brigade.

Anwar Ali (East Bengal)

Normally in Kolkata derbies, most of the attention are on the attacking players (forwards) rather than those in the backline. That won’t be the case for this particular one.

Anwar Ali will have the spotlight right on him after whatever transpired throughout the summer transfer window. Ali opted to make a controversial move to East Bengal after ending his deal with Mohun Bagan. He’ll now have all the eyes on him in the derby.

Anwar has yet to produce any sensational performance for East Bengal, but this is his best chance to do that. He’ll need to be spotless with his work knowing how thousands of critics are there to analyze his tiniest of errors.

Ali needs to be smart with his passing to help progress East Bengal’s attacks, but more importantly vigilant and commanding at the back. He needs to nail his tackles and challenges and read his ex-team’s attacking move to make the necessary clearances to frustrate the Mariners and help give his side an edge.

Did you know?

• Greg Stewart has the joint-most assists (3) for any player in the ISL after four games this season. He’s also created the most chances (12) after four appearances.
• East Bengal are yet to win any Kolkata derby in their ISL history. Their best result was the 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan last season.
• Mohun Bagan have scored the joint-most goals (8) for any team after four games played in the 2024-25 ISL campaign.

Telecast Details

The Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal clash will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Saturday (19 October). It will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The match will be shown live on Sports 18 and be streamed online on Jio Cinema. International viewers can also watch the game on the OneFootball app.

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