East Bengal FC's standout attacker, Naorem Mahesh Singh, is currently in sensational form and is poised to continue his impressive streak as his team prepares to take on FC Goa in the inaugural match of Indian Super League (ISL) Matchweek 4 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar this Saturday.

Throughout the 2022–23 Indian Super League (ISL) season, the 24-year-old winger has been a pivotal figure for the club, earning him a call-up to the national team. He led Indian players by creating nine goal-scoring opportunities in the previous ISL season, and he also emerged as the top goal scorer for East Bengal FC during the Super Cup 2023.

Notably, Singh recently extended his commitment to the club for the next three seasons. Despite the weight of representing a historic club like East Bengal FC, he considers it a privilege to don the Red and Gold jersey.

He joined head coach Carles Cuadrat before the match against FC Goa, during which he discussed the details of his new contract with East Bengal FC.

"Yeah, it's obviously a privilege to be here. East Bengal is providing me with opportunities and that's why I'm part of the national team as well. I believe I'll make significant improvements under the guidance of the coach and the entire management, including the coaching staff. They provide a lot of valuable details, and I'm confident I'll improve a lot from here. There's no pressure, only pleasure. It's a pleasure to be here, not pressure," Singh said in the pre-match press conference.

His eye-catching performance, exceptional talent, sharp dribbling skills, and keen vision make him indispensable for both the club and the national team. In a very short period, the Manipur-born winger has earned a reputation in Indian football, so there are high expectations for him.

Just a day before their crucial match against FC Goa, Mahesh was asked about their opponent and its performance in the league so far.

He explained, "Yeah, they play really well, even in the Durand Cup. Everyone knows they excel in both attacking and defensive aspects of the game. They have some experienced players, such as Odei (Onaindia) and Sandesh Paaji (Jhingan). Regarding the team, they are truly impressive."

Singh scored a spectacular goal against Malaysia following India's unfortunate 4-2 defeat against the hosts at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur in the recently concluded Merdeka Cup. He stood out as the standout performer on the pitch, but couldn't help his side secure a victory against Malaysia.

Speaking about India's defeat in the semi-final of the Merdeka Cup, Mahesh said,

"For me, regarding the playing style we love and all, I don't have any problems. We have plans; we are executing them, and I'm really happy with that. I'm trying to improve on that aspect only. As for the referees in Kuala Lumpur, it's quite normal here. They can make mistakes, and the only issue here is that we conceded the goal due to our own mistakes. We defeated ourselves.

"We were defeated because we gave them the chance. In the case of the third goal, I made a pass, and they got the ball, and they scored like that. That was the only mistake we made. Apart from that, we created a few chances, and on some other days, we might have scored that goal. But on that day, it wasn't our day," he added.

Singh now wants to remain fully focused on the game against FC Goa. When quizzed about the derby getting rescheduled, he said, "No, it's not a problem; it's quite normal. We'll be playing on a different day. We're always ready. We're prepared for any time.