Preview: Can Mumbai City return to winning ways against Kerala Blasters?

The Yellow Army are at the ninth place on the ISL standings, while the Islanders currently top the table.

It is a must-win game in the Indian Super League (ISL) for Kerala Blasters on Wednesday, as they lock horns with table-toppers Mumbai City at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa. Both teams lost their most recent matches against ATK Mohun Bagan and NorthEast United respectively and would hence be keen to return to winning ways.

The Stakes

With three wins and five draws from 14 matches, the Blasters are at the ninth place in the ISL standings. A win is important for the Blasters not only to boost their own morale, but also to further increase their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.

The Yellow Army have improved as a team when compared to their performances at the beginning of the ongoing campaign. That said, there is still room for improvement within the team from the south. A win and three points will help them climb to the eighth, seventh or sixth place, based on goal difference and the result of Bengaluru FC's match against East Bengal on Tuesday.

At the same time, Mumbai City are comfortably perched at the top of the ISL points table and the only thing they could possibly lose is the first place. Second-placed ATK Mohun Bagan are slowly catching up with them and it would be important for Sergio Lobera and Co to maintain their current lead, provided they want to lift the League Winners' Shield and qualify for the AFC Champions League.

Team News

Kerala Blasters will miss out on Facundo Pereyra, who suffered a broken nose just before the game against Jamshedpur FC last week. Having successfully completed his surgery the following day, the Argentine attacking midfielder will be out of action for the next 2-3 weeks.

Sandeep Singh can be expected to operate as a right-back once again, while Nishu Kumar could replace Jessel Carneiro at left-back. With Sandeep at full-back, head coach Kibu Vicuna could give the nod for Bakary Kone to partner Costa Nhamoinesu in central defence. The remaining parts of the starting XI are no-brainers, unless last-minute injuries force the tactician to make changes.

Mumbai City FC, meanwhile, will no longer be availing the services of Sarthak Golui and Sourav Das this season, with both players having joined SC East Bengal. Ahmed Jahouh will also be unavailable for selection as he will be serving a one-match suspension after picking up his fourth yellow card of the season against NorthEast United last week.

Jackichand Singh might start for the second game in a row since signing for them in January. Rowllin Borges and Adam Le Fondre will also return, while the rest of the squad picks itself.

Head-to-Head

https://youtu.be/XjUa9Y85b8I

Mumbai City FC and Kerala Blasters have faced off on 13 occasions in the league. The Islanders have won five games, whereas the Blasters secured the three points twice. Six encounters resulted in a draw.

The most recent match between the two sides happened on January 2, with the Islanders winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Adam Le Fondre and Hugo Boumous. Both goals were scored in the first 11 minutes of the game. The Blasters were a much better side afterwards, but failed to convert their chances and hence ended up losing.

Probable Lineups

Kerala Blasters: Albino (GK); Sandeep, Kone, Costa, Nishu; Jeakson, Gomez; Rahul, Hooper, Sahal; Murray.

Mumbai City: Amrinder (GK); Ranawade, Fall, Hernan, Dessai; Rowllin, Goddard; Jackichand, Boumous, Bipin; Le Fondre.

Man to Watch

Gary Hooper (Kerala Blasters)

Gary Hooper was signed by the Yellow Army as a replacement to Bartholomew Ogbeche who scored goals for fun last season. However, at the beginning of his ongoing campaign, the Englishman failed to impress. He was even replaced by second-choice Jordan Murray later on in the starting XI. But it now seems like a thing of the past as the 32-year-old has returned, albeit in a new role.

In the last three games, Hooper played as a No. 10 behind Murray, creating chances for the Australian and for the wide players. In the absence of their main man Pereyra, it is worth noticing how the former Norwich City and Celtic forward fits into this role in the days ahead. He has also increased his attempts at shooting, as seen from the disallowed goal against Jamshedpur FC and the screamer against ATK Mohun Bagan on Sunday. Overall, he would be one of the biggest threats for Mumbai City goalkeeper Amrinder Singh on Wednesday.

Hugo Boumous (Mumbai City)

Hugo Boumous was very influential for the Islanders as he played a role in both the goals that they scored against the Blasters back in January. When both teams meet for the second time this season, one can expect the attacking midfielder to play a key role once again. His threat will further be magnified by the fact that the Kochi outfit make defensive gaffes more often than the other teams in the league.

The Frenchman has made 11 appearances so far this term and has clocked close to 1000 minutes on the pitch. With a goal and six assists, the 25-year-old is one among the players with the most goal contributions in the league. He is also one of the very few players to have attempted over 640 passes, while maintaining an accuracy of nearly 74%.

Did You Know?

• Nine different Kerala Blasters players have found the back of the net so far, the most among all clubs this season.
• Kerala Blasters' Jordan Murray has had the most touches in the opposition box (62) after gameweek 15 in the ISL 2020-21.
• With 29 saves from 13 games, MCFC shot-stopper Amrinder Singh has the best save percentage amongst goalkeepers who have played a minimum of seven games in the ongoing league campaign.

Telecast

The match between Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City will be live on Star Sports 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 2 SD & HD (English), Star Sports Hindi 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 3, Star Gold 2 (Hindi), Asianet Plus (Malayalam), and Star Sports regional channels (in Bangla, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi). It will also be live on Disney+ Hotstar VIP and Jio TV.