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Mumbai City FC host Bengaluru FC in an ISL clash at the Mumbai Football Arena on Friday, with the Islanders looking to bounce back from consecutive losses to ATK and Odisha FC.
Bengaluru, on the other hand, come into this game full of confidence, with two straight home wins to kick off the new year, against FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC. Sunil Chhetri is the joint-top-scorer in the ISL this season, and the likes of Dimas Delgado and Ashique Kuruniyan are just finding form at the right time, from Carles Cuadrat's perspective.
For Mumbai City and Jorge Costa, this game is an opportunity to bounce back, against a side that Costa has never lost to. Mumbai have had the wood over Bengaluru over the last couple of seasons, with their aggressive style, and they will look to once again impose themselves on the champions.
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC: Match Information
Date: 17th January 2020
Kickoff: 7:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: Mumbai Football Arena
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC: Team News
Throughout the season, the Tunisian, Mohamed Larbi, has been a vital cog for Mumbai, and his importance to Costa and the side will only be increased now with Paulo Machado's long-term injury.
Mumbai need to get Modou Sougou and Amine Chermiti closer to the goal, with the likes of Larbi and Raynier Fernandes donning the provider's hat. Bipin Singh could come into the side for this game, to replace Serge Kevyn. Bipin had an outstanding game when the Islanders won 3-2 in Bengaluru last month.
For Bengaluru, new signing Deshorn Brown has arrived in the country and joined the squad. The Jamaican is in line for his debut in Mumbai, and could even start ahead of Manu Onwu, who has been unimpressive in all his appearances this season.
Udanta Singh's encouraging performance as a substitute in the last game against Jamshedpur FC may not be enough to win the winger his place back in the starting XI, ahead of Ashique Kuruniyan, who was outstanding on the right flank.
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC: Probable Lineups
Mumbai City FC: Amrinder Singh, Sarthak Golui, Pratik Chaudhari, Mato Grgic, Subhasish Bose, Rowllin Borges, Raynier Fernandes, Modou Sougou, Mohamed Larbi, Bipin Singh, Amine Chermiti
Bengaluru FC: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Albert Serran, Juanan Gonzalez, Nishu Kumar, Dimas Delgado, Erik Paartalu, Ashique Kuruniyan, Sunil Chhetri, Deshorn Brown
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC: ISL Form Guide
Mumbai City FC: L-L-W-W-W
Bengaluru FC: W-W-L-W-L
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC Head-to-Head
Both sides have won an equal number of games against each other, but Mumbai are unbeaten in their last three meetings against Bengaluru, after the Blues did the double over the Islanders in the 2017-18 season, which was Bengaluru's first in the ISL.
Earlier this season, a crazy game at the Kanteerava saw Rowllin Borges win the game for Mumbai with what was virtually the last kick of the game, as the Islanders ran out 3-2 winners.
Mumbai City FC wins: 2
Bengaluru FC wins: 2
Draws: 1
Mumbai City FC v Bengaluru FC Prediction
Cuadrat and Bengaluru have once again found a way to start winning games, and even though he hasn't managed to taste success against Costa, the Bengaluru manager will be quietly confident of his team getting the job done.
Bengaluru are once again reliant on Chhetri for the goals, and on their defence to keep things tight. Mumbai know how to beat them, though, and it promises to be a tight encounter, with Bengaluru looking to end their away struggles, that saw them win just one league game outside the Kanteerava in all 2019.
Prediction: Mumbai City FC 1-1 Bengaluru FC
