Mumbai City FC and Jamshedpur FC lock horns in Match 75 of the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20 at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday. A win for the Islanders in the tie will not only help consolidate their position in the top four but will also knock Jamshedpur out of contention for a semi-final spot this season. Interestingly, the result of the match will also have a domino effect on NorthEast United FC, who, like Jamshedpur, will also crash out of the top four race in the event of a Mumbai win.

Mumbai City FC

Currently occupying the fourth spot in the table with 23 points from 15 matches, three points from Thursday's match will help Mumbai strengthen their claim for the top four. A home victory will also knock both Jamshedpur and NorthEast out of the top four race, thereby thinning the competition for the Islanders for the coveted spot.

Mumbai have picked up seven points from their last three outings and will look to continue the good work on Thursday. Their defence has looked solid of late with the team registering two clean sheets in their last three outings, but defensive mainstay Subhasish Bose picking up a knock in their last match may severely dent the team's defensive solidity on Thursday. Souvik Chakrabarti has also left the club to join Hyderabad FC, but Keenan Almeida moving the other way and Pratik Chaudhari coming back after serving a one-match suspension will give head coach Jorge Costa more options to tinker with.

In offence, Costa will be missing in-form forward Modou Sougou, who is suspended for Thursday's encounter. In his absence, the onus will be on the likes of Amine Chermiti, Mohamed Larbi and Diego Carlos to deliver. Carlos, in particular, have looked dangerous down the flanks for Mumbai of late and will be a tough test for a Tiri-less Jamshedpur defence to contend with.

With both Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC breathing down their neck, it'll be paramount for Mumbai to keep their foot on the gas and come out of Thursday's encounter with the full quota of points.

Jamshedpur FC

Having picked up just three points from their last six matches, Jamshedpur find themselves staring at elimination and a loss on Thursday would seal their fate. While a draw will keep them in the hunt theoretically, the respite will be a stop gap at best. The absence of the injured Tiri in the back line in matches such as these will obviously be a big blow for the team. In the talismanic Spaniard's absence, players like Memo Moura, Narender Gahlot and others will need to step up to account for the towering centre back's absence. The defence has been in disarray since Tiri's injury, conceding a whopping seven goals in their last two matches.

On the more positive note, Sergio Castel is back from injury and has been among the goals, scoring two in the three matches since his return. On Thursday's match, a lot will be riding on Jamshedpur's Spanish contingent up top, involving the likes of Noe Costa, Aitor Monroy and Castel. Piti's return may provide the team with the creative spark it has missed so much, but even if the Spanish midfielder manages to return, it may just be a little too late. Defender Jitendra Singh and striker Sumeet Passi, however, are certain to miss out with suspensions.

All in all, Jamshedpur need to avoid a defeat to salvage their season for the time being, but need a win to give themselves any realistic chance of making a charge for the top four.

Probable line-ups:

Mumbai City FC: Amrinder Singh (GK), Valpuia, Mato Grgic, Sarthak Golui, Pratik Chaudhari, Diego Carlos, Mohamed Larbi, Rowllin Borges, Sourav Das, Amine Chermiti, Serge Kevyn

Jamshedpur FC: Subrata Paul (GK), Narender Gahlot, Joyner Lourenco, Robin Gurung, Memo Moura, Aitor Monroy, Amarjit Singh, Noe Acosta, Farukh Choudhary, Sergio Castel, David Grande

Did you know?

  • Jamshedpur have won one and lost five in their last six.
  • Mumbai have won their last two away matches in a row without conceding a single goal.
  • Jamshedpur have lost their 3 away matches in a row.

Live Broadcast Schedule:

Hero ISL 2019-20 Match 75: Mumbai City FC vs Jamshedpur FC

Date: February 6 (Thursday)

Time: 7:30 PM onwards

Channels: Star Sports Network

Streaming: Hotstar and Jio TV