The second match of the 2020-21 Indian Super League season will see NorthEast United FC take on Mumbai City FC at Tilak Maidan in Vasco Da Gama, Goa, on Saturday, November 21.
ISL 2020-21 gives NorthEast United fresh hopes after enduring a miserable campaign last season, winning just two out of their 18 matches, joint-fewest in the league alongside Hyderabad FC who finished bottom of the standings.
Mumbai City FC, on the other hand, missed the top four in heart-breaking fashion, losing the final game of their league stage campaign against Chennaiyin FC, which sent them three points clear of the Islanders and into the ISL playoffs.
Both sides will be aiming to have better campaigns than they did in last season and will want to start off on the right foot with a victory on Saturday. Watch NorthEast United FC vs Mumbai City FC on live streaming.
NorthEast United squad
The Highlanders hit the reset button on their squad after their disastrous campaign last season, releasing 15 players and signing 19 for ISL 2020-21.
NorthEast United have scored just 95 goals in 98 matches in the ISL, the only team to average fewer than a goal a game in the league.
To address this issue, they have revamped their attack with Guinean striker Idrissa Sylla, whose CV boasts of French side Le Mans, Belgian giants Anderlecht and English side Queens Park Rangers.
They have also added Ghanaian striker Kwesi Appiah who spent five seasons on the books at Crystal Palace and then spent a further three years at AFC Wimbledon.
Experienced right-back Ashutosh Mehta and young midfielder Roccharzela are solid additions to the team's Indian core which also includes former Churchill Brothers star Lalkhawpuimawia and defensive midfielder VP Suhair.
NorthEast United certainly look a much better outfit on paper than they did last season and coach Gerard Nus will be expecting his side to finish much higher in the table than they did in ISL 2019-20 season.
Mumbai City FC squad
It's a new era for Mumbai City FC, as they play their first game under new owners, the City Football Group (CFG), who have left nothing unturned ahead of this new campaign.
They commenced their spending spree by poaching FC Goa coach Sergio Lobera and then signing Mandar Rao Dessai, Hugo Boumous, Ahmed Jahouh and Mourtada Fall from his former side.
The Islanders retained their Indian core of goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, combative midfielders Rowlin Borges and Raynier Fernandes as well as defender Sarthak Golui, giving Mumbai a finely-balanced roster that boasts of consistent performers and game-changing stars.
Perhaps the biggest acquisitions for Mumbai came up top, as they acquired forwards Bartholomew Ogbeche and Adam Le Fondre, who they hope will score goals aplenty for them this season.
With Mumbai retaining its core players and Lobera bringing in his trustworthy foot soldiers from FC Goa, it's hard to find a weak link in that roster.
Mumbai City FC start this season as one of the favourites to finish in the top-four and Lobera and his men will start to lay an early marker with a strong performance against NorthEast United.
NorthEast United vs Mumbai City FC predicted XI
NorthEast United predicted starting XI: Subhashish Roy Chowdhury; Wayne Vaz, Benjamin Lambot, Gurjinder Kumar, Ashutosh Mehta; Rochharzela, Khassa Camara, Federico Gallego; Britto PM, Idrissa Sylla, Luis Machado
Mumbai City predicted starting XI: Amrinder Singh; Mandar Rao Dessai, Tondomba Singh, Mourtada Fall, Sarthak Golui; Ahmed Jahouh, Raynier Fernandes; Rowlin Borges, Hugo Boumous, Hernan Santana; Adam Le Fondre
Where to watch NorthEast United vs Mumbai City Bagan live
The NorthEast United FC vs Mumbai City FC match will be broadcast live at 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 Hindi as well as the respective HD TV channels in India.
The NEUFC vs MCFC match will also be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar and Jio TV.
For ISL odds and ISL betting, click here and look for Indian Super League.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @MumbaiCityFC
