Reigning champions Chennaiyin FC host 2014 winners Atlético de Kolkata in a crucial Hero Indian Super League 2016 encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Both teams are presently hovering outside the top 4 places and are on a similar run of form. Chennai are sixth with 13 points from 10 matches, while Kolkata lie one place above with 14 points from 10 games. A win for either team will see them enter the top 4, and the Super Machans will be hoping for another strong performance in front of home support against ATK after beating FC Pune City 2-0 in Chennai in their last outing. Kolkata, on the other hand, are winless in their last three and head into the contest on the back of a defeat and two draws. Sunday’s encounter thus promises to be an entertaining game with both sides looking for a win and entering the top 4 in their pursuit for a second Hero ISL title.Head-to-Head: These two sides have met seven times so far. Hero ISL 2014 saw the games end in 1-1 and 0-0 draws. They met four times last year during their league stage and semi-final matches. Kolkata won 3-2 away and 2-1 at home in the league stage. However, Chennai’s 3-0 win in the first leg of the semis was enough for them to progress to the final 4-2 on aggregate. Their last encounter in Kolkata earlier this season ended in a 2-2 draw.Form Guide (last five matches):Chennaiyin FC: D-D-L-L-WAtlético de Kolkata: L-W-L-D-DJohn Arne Riise vs Iain HumeThe Super Machans will need John Arne Riise to use his abundance of experience to guide his side to back-to-back victories at home. Riise will be looking to impose himself in front of ATK’s potent attack force. The former Norwegian international can expect a busy day with the likes of Helder Postiga, Iain Hume and Javi Lara all itching to get on the scoresheet.Iain Hume is starting to pick up form at the right time for ATK as the Canadian striker demonstrated by rescuing a late point for his side in their last outing to become the joint top-scorer in the league. Hume, who scored his fifth goal of the season for Kolkata against NorthEast, has also scored in his last two matches against Chennai, and will be looking to build on that come Sunday.Raphael Augusto vs Javi LaraRaphael Augusto is pivotal to Chennai’s chances against ATK. The Brazilian midfield general, who is now in his second season with the Super Machans, is crucial to the fluidity of Marco Materazzi’s side. The 25-year-old’s ability to stitch play together seamlessly besides his Samba flair and technical ability makes him a game-changer against any opposition.An influential presence in midfield for Kolkata, Javi Lara has proved to be the inspiration for his teammates time and again this season. It was the Spanish playmaker’s free-kick that led to the late Hume equaliser for Kolkata against the Highlanders. Lara has also proven to be clinical from range this year and cannot be afforded much space and time on the ball.Jeje Lalpekhlua vs Arnab MondalJeje Lalpekhlua scored his third goal of the season for Chennai in their win against Pune in their last match. The Indian international will be looking to kick on against ATK after a slow start to the season in terms of goals return. Lalpekhlua will be smacking his lips against a Kolkata backline that has been prone to defensive uncertainty on many occasions this year.Arnab Mondal will need to be sharp straight from kick-off if Kolkata want to come away with a result against the defending champions in Chennai. The India international will need to marshal his troops and tighten his backline after some loose defending in their last game against NorthEast. Mondal can expect a busy day at the office against the likes of Lalpekhlua, Augusto and Davide Succi.Squads:Chennaiyin FC: Karanjit Singh, Pawan Kumar, Duwayne Kerr, Bernard Mendy, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Eli Sabia, Eder Monterio, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Abhishek Das, John Arne Riise, Baljit Sahni, Hans Mulder, Manuele Blasi, Thoi Singh, Raphael Augusto, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Davide Succi, Maurizio Peluso, Bedashwor Singh, Uttam Rai, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Zakeer Mundampara, Jayesh Rane, Daniel LalhlimpuiaAtlético de Kolkata: Debjit Majumder, Dani Mallo, Shilton Paul, Arnab Mondal, Henrique Fonseca Sereno, Jose Arroyo, Keegan Pereira, Kinshuk Debnath, Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, Robert Lalthamuana, Abinash Ruidas, Bidyananda Singh, Bikash Jairu, Bikramjit Singh, Borja Fernandez, Javi Lara, Jewel Raja, Lalrindika Ralte, Ofentse Nato, Sameehg Doutie, Stephen Pearson, Helder Postiga, Ian Hume, Juan Belencoso
