FC Pune City head coach David Platt will be looking for an immediate response when his side hosts reigning champions and table-toppers Atlético de Kolkata in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium on Saturday after tasting defeat for the first time this season against Delhi Dynamos FC in their last encounter on Wednesday. Platt, speaking to the media on Friday, said every game in the league was important for his side.

“It’s our fourth game and the fourth team. It is important. Like the last three were important. Like the next ten will be important. It’s three points to play for. If we win, we go top of the league [on Saturday] but that doesn’t qualify, to put us in the top 4 [at the end of the league stage.”

The Englishman, however, was very much aware of what Atlético de Kolkata could do. “I’d put them very high. They’ve won two and drawn one so they are in a strong position. We have to respect them,” he said.

“Seeing Kolkata, they’re very well-drilled and they’re probably one of the easiest teams to analyze since what you see is what you get. They’re well-drilled, organized and that’s testament to them since they win football matches. It’s credit to the coach [Antonio Lopez Habas] since last year and this year he has kept his philosophy and he has maintained the same way of playing. We know what we’re up against, we know they’re going to be difficult and we know they’re going to be organized,” he added.

The return of playmaker Eugeneson Lyngdoh was a welcome shot in the arm for Platt’s side against Delhi, and the 29-year-old said he had already settled down in the team. “I definitely have. The team did very well in the training and we helped each other…we have settled down as a team very well. As long as the team understands each other and we are doing well.”

Platt also said that ATK missing their marquee man Helder Postiga, while not ideal, hadn’t impacted their fortunes. “They’re doing well without their marquee player. Marquee players are important but the others are too and they are getting the results. Every player in the squad are equally important. The marquee players are not more important than the other foreigners who are not more important the Indian players. Each members of the squad is important. Indian players practically form 50% of the matchday squad so they are important.”

Alberto Marrero, Atlético de Kolkata’s sports director, who fielded questions for ATK, mirrored Platt’s sentiments. “We have been saying from the beginning that we give importance to every player. Hopefully the players that start tomorrow and every subsequent game give a performance like they did the last time,” he said.