Winning goal
Defender Vafa Hakhamaneshi scored the winning goal in the last game before receiving his marching orders. The centre-back has started all games for the Marina Machans so far and will be a big miss against Mumbai as head coach Thomas Brdaric will be forced to start with a new defensive combination for the first time this season.
"Mumbai City FC is a big club, and it's an honour to play against them. I've certain targets while their target is the championship. We first need to understand how to play against them considering their strengths and abilities. We've analysed them and will try to give our best," said Brdaric.
Same formation
Mumbai City FC were held to a third draw of the season in the last match against ATK Mohun Bagan. The Islanders have scored ten goals in five games so far. Half of those goals have come in the first half. This fact is a tad concerning for their opponents given their record of conceding goals in the opening 30 minutes. Head coach Des Buckingham is pleased with his side's consistency so far this season.
The Englishman has aided that by sticking to the same formation and making little to no tweaks to his starting eleven. The Islanders are likely to field their previous starting eleven against the Marina Machans on Saturday.
Good start
"We've started the season well. Five games in we're still unbeaten. But more importantly, we've shown consistency and improved with every game we've played so far. I think that was evident in the game against ATK Mohun Bagan," said Buckingham.
"If we can continue doing that, we can put ourselves in a position that we all want towards the end of the season," he added.
Head-to-Head/TV info
The two sides have faced each other 16 times. The Marina Machans have won six games while the Islanders have emerged victorious on seven occasions. Only three games have ended in a draw. Last season, MCFC nabbed two 1-0 wins over CFC to complete the double.
Kick-off: CFC vs MCFC
Kick-off date: Saturday, November 12
Kick-off time: 7.30pm IST
Kick-off venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai.
Live telecast: Star Sports Network
Live streaming: Disney+ HotStar and JioTV
Source: ISL Media.