Kolkata giants East Bengal will look to addressing their poor I-League form when they take on rivals Mohun Bagan in a high profile match here at the Salt Lake stadium Tuesday.
The game was scheduled to be held Feb 11 but was rescheduled for Tuesday due to security concerns raised by the local police.
East Bengal played out a 1-1 draw against Bharat FC at home Sunday, highlighting their poor form this season which has seen them collect just eight points, out of a maximum 15, from their five matches.
To add to their woes, they have just a day to recover from the disappointment of dropping points at home Sunday and also have injury concerns to deal with. Their below-par performances have increased the pressure on coach Armando Colaco, who is reportedly set to resign from the hot seat following the conclusion of the match citing declining health conditions.
Apart from this off-field issue, they also have on-field problems to address. Veteran defender Saumik Dey suffered an injury Sunday and is expected to be sidelined for the match.
His void is likely to be filled up by Australian defender Milan Susak. Another foreign import, New Zealand midfielder Leo Bertos is also tipped to be named in the starting 11.
Nigerian striker Dudu Omagbemi, who came on as a late substitute against Bharat due to a hamstring complaint, is all set to start upfront with compatriot Ranti Martins.
Indian midfielder Lalrindika Ralte may get a look in too as the left-sided midfielder.
Mohun Bagan, on the contrary, have began their campaign on a brighter note. They have collected seven points from three matches and impressed with their eye-catching attacking display so far.
They are coming into the contest sufficiently rested and full of confidence having played their last match Feb 7 in a 1-0 win against Pune FC.
But like their traditional rivals, they too have injury concerns to deal with.
Goalkeeper Shilton Paul, also the captain, and defender Souvik Ghosh is set to miss the game due to injuries.
Paul, a mainstay of Mohun Bagan for several years, is likely to be replaced by the young Debjit Majumder while defender Dhanachandra Singh will fill in for Ghosh.
Cameroonian striker Pierre Boya, the marquee foreigner of the side who missed the first three matches with a leg complaint, has shaken off his injury but may find himself benched by coach Sanjoy Sen as he is expected to name an unchanged starting 11.
Mohun Bagan will once again rely on their Japanese playmaker Katsumi Yusa to deliver the goods. He has been in decent form this season and will be a key figure in determining the outcome of the contest.
Colaco will bank on their Nigerian striking duo of Dudu and Martins to add some much-needed firepower to his bungling team and help him bow out on a high.
He will certainly draw comfort from the fact that Mohun Bagan have failed to beat his team in the last five I-League encounters with East Bengal winning twice.
The match is expected to be played in a frenzied atmosphere with around 70,000 people anticipated to exercise their lung power during the match.
