Title-seeking Jamshedpur FC will be up against defending champions Mumbai City FC, as both the sides are desperate to log full points and enter the top-four when their Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 match kicks-off at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa on Thursday.

Form Guide

Jamshedpur FC - WWWLW

The Red Miners have won four of their last five matches and lost just once, which was a 1-3 defeat against Bengaluru FC. However, they bounced back pretty well from the loss and registered  a thumping win over Kerala Blasters FC and are now at the fourth spot in the league table, with 25 points from 14 matches.

Mumbai City FC - LDDWW

The Islanders have won two, lost once and shared the spoils in their remaining of their last five matches this season. After a seven-match winless run, they finally registered a win against Chennaiyin FC, Then the victory over Odisha FC brought them back into the top-four mix and they are now occupying the fifth spot, with 25 points from 15 matches.

Head To Head

Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC have played each other nine times previously, with the former winning four of those matches. The Islanders emerged victorious on three occasions, while the remaining two were draws.

Team News

Jamshedpur FC’s Komal and Farukh Choudhary are ruled out for the entire season, while Jordan Murray has returned to training and may get 10-15 minutes on the pitch. Mumbai City FC's Diego Mauricio has regained match fitness after pulling up in a training session a day before their previous match. All of their players are available for selection.

Key Players

Jamshedpur FC

Daniel Chukwu: There’s no reason why Mumbai City FC should be taking the striker lightly, especially with his recent performances. Ever since he joined the Jamshedpur FC from SC East Bengal, Daniel Chukwu has been phenomenal, having scored in each of three matches he’s played for his new employers. The Nigerian scored the third goal in their 3-0 win over Kerala Blasters FC in the previous game and he is not in a mood to halt.

Laldinliana Renthlei: The Indian side-back has been one of the most influential players in their squad this season, having made significant contributions so far. In the 14 matches played so far, the Laldinliana Renthlei has made 413 passes (second most any player from his side) at a rate of almost 30 per game. Going by his defensive exploits, the footballer has made 48 tackles and 18 interceptions, the second most in each department from his contingent.

Mumbai City FC

Igor Angulo: Arguably their best purchase ahead of the season, Igor Angulo has been very impressive in the final, having netted 10 times in 14 matches this season and is only behind Hyderabad FC’s Bartholomew Ogbeche in the chart. The Spaniard even scored a brace in their previous match against Odisha FC. Most importantly, the Islanders have won five out of the seven matches he’s scored a goal this season.

Lalengmawia Ralte: One of the best central midfielders in the country, Apuia, as he is popularly known, has formed a lethal partnership with Ahmed Jahouh. Known for his possessional based style of football and passing, the footballer has made 772 passes this season (fourth overall in the league), at a rate of over 50 per game, maintaining an accuracy of 85.75%. Apart from which, he has registered 71 tackles and 28 interceptions, the second most each by an Islander. He will be a player to watch out for in the upcoming fixture.

Key Stats

Milestone Alert: Mumbai City FC’s Bipin Singh needs to score a couple of goals to equal Pape Amodou Sougou’s record of most goals (15) for the ISL club. Meanwhile, Ahmed Jahouh needs one assist to become the joint-highest assist provider for the Islanders in a single season. The record is currently held by Nkufo Isako Arnold, who registered eight assists during the 2018-19 season.

Set-piece trivia: Jamshedpur FC have scored 14 out of their 23 goals from set-pieces this season, which accounts to 60.87% of the total. Only SC East Bengal have a better percentage (70.57%) from set-pieces. Even in their 3-0 win against Kerala Blasters FC in their previous game, all the goals came from set-pieces.

Match timings and telecast details

Match: Jamshedpur FC vs Mumbai City FC

Date: February 17, 2021

Venue: Athletic Stadium, Bambolim

Kick-off time: 7.30 pm IST

Telecast: Star Sports Network

Online Streaming: Disney+Hotstar and JioTV.