ATK Mohun Bagan will be looking to maintain their perfect start to Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 when they face Jamshedpur FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco on Monday. The Kolkata giants have won all three of their matches so far and kept three cleans sheets as well. Jamshedpur, on the other hand, are winless this season having lost one and drawn two of their games. Both teams will be looking for nothing less than three points on Monday and here’s a closer look at some of the factors that could determine the outcome of the contest.

ATK Mohun Bagan’s defence a bedrock for their success

ATK Mohun Bagan’s rock solid defence has been the foundation of success for Antonio Lopez Habas’ men. The only team yet to concede a goal this season, the Kolkata giants have faced just four shots on target so far – the least by a team in Hero ISL 2020-21. Their opponents Jamshedpur, meanwhile, have had their struggles when it comes to hitting the target. They have attempted seven shots on target – second lowest by a team this season. If ATK Mohun Bagan do keep a clean sheet against Jamshedpur, it will be the first time that a Habas side will keep four clean sheets in a row in the Hero ISL.

A game between two counter-attacking sides

The match between ATK Mohun Bagan and Jamshedpur will witness two counter-attacking teams squaring off against each other. The Kolkata club have thrived this season by sitting back, absorbing pressure and hitting teams on the break, while Jamshedpur have tried to do the same with less success. The fact that neither of the teams keep much of the ball is reflected in ATK Mohun Bagan averaging 299 passes per game and Jamshedpur averaging 356.67 passes per match. However, both teams might have to alter their style slightly keeping in mind that they may cancel each other out and it’s very likely that the side that makes better adjustments will emerge victorious.

Nerijus Valskis versus Roy Krishna

ATK Mohun Bagan’s clash with Jamshedpur will see two top forwards go head-to-head. Jamshedpur’s Nerijus Valskis and ATK Mohun Bagan’s Roy Krishna both scored 15 goals and provided six assists last season and they are level on three goals in the ongoing campaign as well. They have a goal conversion rate of 50% and don’t require many chances to get on the scoresheet. That said, one differentiator between the two strikers is that all of Krishna’s goals in Hero ISL 2020-21 have resulted in wins for his team, while none of Valskis’ strikes have yielded three points this season and it will be interesting to see if either of these trends continue should the two of them find the back of the net on Monday.