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Hyderabad FC, languishing at the bottom of the ISL table with no points to their name, have a tough task on their hands when they travel to the Mumbai Football Arena and take on defending ISL shield winners Mumbai City FC on Saturday.
This will be the Nawabs' fourth game of the season, and interestingly, their third away from home. They have, of course, lost all the matches that they have played so far, which means that they can quite well afford to break clean and start the season afresh.
In many ways, the season begins for them on Saturday. To qualify for the playoffs of the ISL, Hyderabad will have to garner at least 45 to 50 points, and although a tad late to the party, the ship has not quite sailed for them.
Goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh, who is the club's first-choice stopper at the moment, reflected upon the positivity in the dressing room despite the lack of winning performances.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, ahead of Hyderabad's trip to the financial capital of the country, Gurmeet seemed to be confident of the Yellow and Blacks' chances against the Islanders.
"We are quite positive at the moment. We are working very hard in training. Everyone knows what is required of them and now is when we have to implement these things. We know that it will require something special from our side and we are ready to do that. If we focus on our own game and play to the best of our potential, we will be able to win this game. I am confident about our team," said Gurmeet.
"It is always difficult to play against Mumbai City as they are a very tactical side. We know how they play, and they know how we play as well. Everyone is in a positive frame of mind despite the three losses in a row. Every player is working hard in training, and hopefully, we can come back with all three points," he added.
Gurmeet Singh made his mark for Hyderabad FC midway through the 2022-23 season
Gurmeet was not Hyderabad's first-choice goalkeeper last season as senior pro Laxmikant Kattimani was preferred between the sticks. However, midway through the season, Kattimani suffered from an ACL injury owing to a clash with Jamshedpur FC's Harry Sawyer and was ruled out for an extended period of time.
Although Anuj Kumar stepped up to the plate for a while, Gurmeet was brought into the side and he impressed all and sundry with his cool and composed head between the goalposts.
He managed to make the spot his own and came desperately close to winning the Golden Glove last season. As a reward, he was picked by Igor Stimac for the Indian side that competed in the Asian Games held earlier this year.
Gurmeet will be crucial for Hyderabad's chances this season and the club will need him to provide a safe haven for the defenders. His communication and handling skills have often been talked about.
