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Kerala Blasters host Chennaiyin FC in an ISL clash on Saturday, with a loss likely to ensure the hosts finish a third straight ISL season without making the playoffs.
Chennaiyin FC, on the other hand, are well in the mix. They are only three points behind fourth-placed Odisha FC who are now in 4th spot, but the two-time former ISL champions have played two games less than Odisha.
Eelco Schattorie knows that the stakes are high in this game, given the possible consequences, and the traditional rivalry between the two southern sides, and the Dutchman will be aware of the severe attacking threat posed by Chennaiyin, who have won their last three games handsomely.
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Chennaiyin produced their best performance of the season in the last game against Jamshedpur FC, winning 4-1, while Kerala lost 3-2 at Fatorda against FC Goa.
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC: Match Information
Date: 1st February 2020
Kickoff: 7:30 pm IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC: Team News
For Chennaiyin, there is no real need to tinker with their line-up, with manager Owen Coyle finding a combination that is scoring goals for fun, with Valskis in awesome form, and the likes of Crivellaro and Thapa behind him flourishing in an attacking sense.
Edwin Vanspaul's move to midfield has been an inspired move for Coyle, and if Laldinliana Renthlei can continue playing well at right-back, Coyle will never feel the reason to change.
Kerala Blasters produced a sterling second-half response to going down 2-0 in Goa, but that wasn't enough, as Goa scored a third, after the Blasters got the game back to 2-2.
Seityasen Singh is playing really well, and both Bartholomew Ogbeche and Messi Bouli have been among the goals too.
But Vlatko Drobarov is suspended, and with Gianni Zuiverloon not likely to come back, Abdul Hakku is likely to replace Drobarov, after he was suspended in the last game.
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC: Probable Lineups
Kerala Blasters: TP Rehenesh, Mohammad Rakip, Raju Gaikwad, Abdul Hakku, Jessel Carneiro, Mousthapha Gning, Sergio Cidoncha, Halicharan Narzary, Seityasen Singh, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Messi Bouli
Chennaiyin FC: Vishal Kaith, Laldinliana Renthlei, Eli Sabia, Lucian Goian, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Anirudh Thapa, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Andre Schembri, Rafael Crivellaro, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Nerijus Valskis
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC: ISL Form Guide
Kerala Blasters: L-L-W-W-D
Chennaiyin FC: W-W-W-L-L
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC Head-to-Head
Chennaiyin hold the upper hand, having won 5 of the previous 13 fixtures between the two sides. They don't have a particularly good record in Kochi though, having only won one of the six previous games there.
In the reverse fixture, the Blasters took a hammering at the Marina Arena, as Chennaiyin ran out 3-0 winners.
Kerala Blasters wins: 3
Chennaiyin FC wins: 5
Draws: 5
Kerala Blasters v Chennaiyin FC Prediction
The Kerala defence has struggled, and with even Drobarov out now, with a suspension, Valskis will already be licking his lips. We can't see how a depleted Kerala defence can deal with the likes of Crivellaro, Valskis and Chhangte.
Prediction: Kerala Blasters 1-3 Chennaiyin FC
