Chennai, Jan 20: Winless in four matches, Chennaiyin FC will have a tough task at hand when they face table toppers Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Tuesday.
The Marina Machans are currently 10th on the table with 17 points from 16 games, while the Mariners, sit comfortably at the top spot with 36 points.
Chennaiyin FC are winless in their last four games, two draws and two losses, while the Mariners have notched up three wins and a draw in their last four matches.
The Mariners, who secured a narrow 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture on November 30, are aiming for their first-ever league double over Chennaiyin FC.
Notably, the Marina Machans and Mumbai City FC are the only sides Mohun Bagan have faced multiple times in the ISL without completing a league double.
Chennaiyin FC have struggled defensively so far, keeping the joint-least clean sheets – 2 – in the league along with Hyderabad FC.
The Mariners, on the other hand, have been lethal in offence, recording the joint-most goals of 31 – the same as Odisha FC and NorthEast United FC – with Jamie Maclaren top-scoring with six goals.
The Jose Molina-coached team might look to exploit the weaknesses in the Chennaiyin FC backline, whereas the home team will want to wear a guarded look to bridge their seven-point gap with the sixth-placed Mumbai City FC (24), in order to keep their play-offs hopes alive.
Chennaiyin FC assistant coach Noel Wilson revealed that injury concerns have troubled their defensive stability this season.
“This season, we have had injuries because of which we have not played the same back-four consistently. You wouldn’t want to change the defence across 100 minutes because once the opposition scores one goal, they are raring to go for another,” he said.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Molina brushed aside concerns over his forwards not making the most of the goal-scoring chances being created in the last few games.
“I would be worried if my attackers didn’t have chances to score. But, that is not the situation. I am sure that the goals will come,” he said. (PTI)
