Chennaiyin FC will be looking to do the double over Jamshedpur FC and leapfrog them in the 2020-21 Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) standings when the two sides clash at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Wednesday. The Marina Machans are on a five-match winless run and will be eager to claim maximum points against a Jamshedpur side that lost their last outing and have managed to win just one of their previous seven games. Wednesday’s contest between the teams is also a must-win for both sides to keep their slim semi-final hopes alive. Here, we have a look at some of the talking points ahead of the second clash between the teams this season.

Chennaiyin’s horror run in front of goal

The Marina Machans’ struggles in front of goal are well-documented and their failure to find the back of the net has seen them fail to score in nine matches this season. They have only scored 11 times so far, making them the lowest scorers in the league and their last five games has seen them fail to find the back of the net from open play. Their last outing against Bengaluru also saw them be wasteful with their chances but the two-time champions need to do much better when they face Jamshedpur to keep their semi-final hopes alive. To do that, Chennaiyin must improve their conversion rate (5.23) and shooting accuracy (29.52%), both of which parameters are the least by any team this season.

Valskis needs to return to his goal-scoring best

Last season’s Golden Boot winner with Chennaiyin Nerijus Valskis moved to Jamshedpur ahead of the ongoing campaign and began life well for his new team. He’s Jamshedpur’s top goal-scorer this season with eight goals but hasn’t been in the best of form lately. The Lithuanian hasn’t scored in six games and his last three outings has seen him hit the target just twice from 10 shots. His barren run has only compounded Jamshedpur’s goal-scoring problems but Valskis will be hoping to get back to his best against the Marina Machans having already found the net once at the expense of his former side this season.

Can Lanzarote kick on after promising start?

Manuel Lanzarote made his Chennaiyin FC debut in their last outing and looked promising while showcasing his technique and range of passing. He was involved in the two-time champions’ most threatening attacks and struck the crossbar from a freekick, besides creating two chances. His attack-minded mentality will be a welcome boost for Chennaiyin and is reflected in the fact that he attempted 18 forward passes on his Marina Machans debut – second only to centre-back Enes Sipovic. The Spaniard will be hoping to make more telling contributions for his team against Jamshedpur – a side he’s netted a brace against in the past.