Page 3 - Super Cup 2019: Mumbai City FC 0-2 Chennaiyin FC - 5 Talking Points - John Gregory's men qualify for the Quarterfinals

#3 Chris Herd's phenomenal performance

An injury crisis and Germanpreet Singh's poor form meant that the club needed to buy an astute defensive midfielder. Chris Herd was signed in the winter transfer window and he has made the difference by cutting down the leakage of goals at the back.

Winning the midfield battle with Anirudh Thapa against Sanju Pradhan, Milan Singh, and Raynier Fernandes, the Blues were able to run the show and cause plenty of chances for their forwards. Herd provided much-needed freedom for the full-backs to double up with the wingers and full-backs of Mumbai City FC.

Besides providing freedom to the full-backs, the Australian international stopped Mumbai City attackers from running past him during the whole game. The defensive midfielder will be key for Chennaiyin's hopes of landing a silverware this campaign. With Dhanpal Ganesh fit again, he could form a pivotal partnership in the middle of the park.

About the author

Sudarshan has been covering European and Indian football for Sportskeeda for
around 9 years. An Information Technology graduate and a post-graduate in International Business Operations, he has previously worked with Chennai Super Kings, Chennai City FC and the SunRisers Hyderabad handling their social media for OPN Advertising and Ting Labs. He has also travelled with the SunRisers for around 2 years, shooting content and interviewing stars such as David Warner, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Jonny Bairstow.

An ardent Liverpool supporter since 2008, Sudarshan's favorite footballer is Steven Gerrard, who impressed with his unmatched leadership during the Reds' challenging periods. His favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp as the German's connection with fans and preference for high-intensity football resonates with him. Sudarshan aims to better analyze football matches by relying on websites like FotMob and DataMB and excels in swiftly covering breaking news events.

Mario Gotze's winner in the 2014 final is Sudarshan’s favorite FIFA World Cup moment, and believes that Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham could emerge as the successors to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he enjoys binge-watching movies, learning new skills to enhance his professional development, and participating in marathons.

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Edited by Zaid Khan