Mumbai City FC will be aiming to register another home win and bag three points to maintain their spot in the top four when they take on Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League match in Mumbai on Thursday.
Mumbai, however, will have to cope up with loss of key striker Modou Sougou, who is suspended for the game on Thursday after earning four yellow cards.
Mumbai, courtesy its last home game win against NorthEast United FC (1-0), jumped to fourth spot with 23 points from 15 games (6 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses).
With three games to go, a win in Thursday’s fixture will take the Jorge Costa-managed team’s tally to 26. For the record, only top four teams make to the playoffs, and Mumbai have never been crowned ISL champions.
For the hosts, in Sougou’s absence the onus will be on Tunisian striker Amine Chermiti and fellow forward Pranjal Bhumij to deliver.
Chermiti is the leading goal-scorer for the club with five goals to his name.
The Mumbai head coach has a variety of strong mid- fielders like Raynier Fernandes, Brazilian Diego Carlos, Rowlin Borges, Mohammed Rafique, Mohamed Larbi, Bipin Singh, Sourav Das and Serge Angoue to choose from.
Diego Carlos would be high on confidence after scoring the match-winning goal against North-East United.
Larbi has two goals to his name. Mumbai’s mid-fielders will have more responsibility in this fixture in Sougou’s absence.
The Mumbai defence will be bolstered by the return of Pratik Chaudhari, suspended from the last game, and the signing of Keenan Almeida, whom the franchise has taken on loan.
In the last game, Mumbai defence did a good job and ensured that their side did not concede any goal. The defenders will have to be on their toes to keep the Jamshedpur strikers at bay.
Another important cog in Mumbai’s wheel is custodian Amrinder Singh, who has 37 saves this season and four clean- sheets. His role will be crucial for the home team.
Jamshedpur are placed seventh with 16 points from 14 games following four wins and six losses.
They come into the match on the back of successive losses against ATK (0-3 at Jamshedpur) and Chennaiyin FC (1-4) in Chennai and hence would be more than keen to get back to winning.
Jamshedpur will have to go all guns blazing to tame Mumbai in their own backyard and it would be interesting to see whether the visitors can cash in on Sougou’s absence to pull off an upset.
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