Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC preview, predicted lineups, prediction, telecast details, and more ahead of ISL 2023-24 clash

Seeking a bounce back following a significant defeat at the hands of Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC are prepared to host Chennaiyin FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday.

Since Des Buckingham’s departure to Oxford United a month ago, the Islanders have failed to sustain their previous form under new head coach Petr Kratky. With only one victory in the last four matches, Mumbai have slid to the fourth position in the table, trailing league leaders Kerala Blasters by seven points.

Despite dominating possession statistics, Kratky’s alterations to the team’s approach have impacted their overall performance. Defensive lapses have certainly not helped their cause, but the head coach will hope to see an instant improvement from his attacking unit.

In the pre-game media interaction, Kratky expressed confidence in his team’s capabilities while also acknowledging Chennaiyin FC’s ability.

"Chennaiyin is a very interesting team. Obviously with some history. They are very hard to beat also. We have to respect, we can’t think it will be an easy game. There is no easy game. We know what their qualities are, but we also know where we can expose them and how, and now it’s about execution."

Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC are also coming off a surprising 1-0 defeat to Punjab FC, where they struggled to assert themselves and were unable to register a shot on target.

Although they maintain the sixth position in the table, Owen Coyle and his team will be disappointed in their inability to turn draws into victories. A win against a depleted Mumbai City team, however, would narrow the gap to just one point behind Mohun Bagan and Mumbai as the one-month break approaches.

Despite Mumbai City FC dealing with the absence of numerous players, Coyle will anticipate a challenging encounter for his team against the reigning ISL Shield champions.

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Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC: Telecast and Streaming Details

The ISL clash between Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC will be broadcast live on Sports18 and VH1 in India. It can also be live-streamed on the JioCinema app on Thursday, December 28 from 8:00 PM IST.

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Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC: Predicted Lineup

Mumbai City FC: Phurba Lachenpa (GK), Sanjeev Stalin, Rahul Bheke, Mehtab, Valpuia, Apuia, Yoëll van Nieff, Jayesh Rane, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Nasser El Khayati, Jorge Pereyra Diaz

Chennaiyin FC: Debjit Majumder (GK), Bikash Yumnam, Ryan Edwards, Lazar Cirkovic, Sarthak Golui, Jiteshwor Singh, Ayush Adhikari, Rafael Crivellaro, Farukh Choudhary, Ninthoi Meetei, Jordan Murray.

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Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC: Prediction

This will certainly be a hard game to predict, especially considering that Mumbai City FC will be without key players, including Greg Stewart, Akash Mishra, Rostyn Griffiths, and Tiri. Despite their attack managing only two goals in the last four games, they still possess the quality to present challenges.

Conversely, Chennaiyin FC will view this as the best moment to face the defending champions. They have shown promise in the past two months and will look to conclude the year on a positive note. Given the form and the notable absences on both sides, the game is likely to result in a draw.

Prediction: Mumbai City FC 1-1 Chennaiyin FC