Table-toppers Mumbai City FC will square off against Kerala Blasters in match no. 35 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on Sunday. Without an iota of doubt, the Islanders are the top dogs in the league, winning five of their first six encounters.
Meanwhile, Ivan Vukomanovic's Kerala Blasters are struggling in the league, down to ninth spot in the table. They have so far played out three draws and a win after their loss in the first game of the season.
With Igor Angulo leading the forward line, Mumbai City FC have played some of the most breathtaking passages of football this season. In their previous encounter, Des Buckingham's men managed to overcome Chennaiyin FC's mean defense and come away with all three points.
Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters played out a 1-1 draw against SC East Bengal in their last game and have had the luxury of a week off since then. Kerala's goalscoring troubles have been quite evident with the Tuskers scoring just six goals in five games. Mumbai City FC, on the other hand, lead the league's goalscoring charts with 17.
Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters Head-to-Head
The two sides have locked horns 14 times previously, with Mumbai City FC triumphing in six of those encounters and Kerala Blasters FC winning just twice. The remaining six fixtures have ended in draws.
Kerala Blasters FC's last win over Mumbai City FC came in the 2017-18 season. In their last encounter, Mumbai City FC came out on top with a 2-1 victory.
Matches played: 14
Mumbai City FC wins: 6
Kerala Blasters FC wins: 2
Draws: 6
Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters Team News
Mumbai City FC: The Islanders are one of the few teams who have no injury concerns at the moment.
Kerala Blasters: After suffering an injury in the clash against Odisha FC, Kerala Blasters keeper Albino Gomes is out of Sunday's game. He is set to go through further examination to assess the length of his injury. Rahul KP is still out injured.
Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters Live Telecast and Streams
TV: Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 3, Hindi Commentary on Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 regional channels— Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu.
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar and JioTV.
Catch the latest ISL live score 2021 here on Sportskeeda!
Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters Prediction
As mentioned earlier, Mumbai City FC are the team in form and it would be incredibly difficult to bet against them at the moment. The likes of Ahmed Jahouh, Igor Angulo and Bipin Singh add a cutting edge to the side that most other teams lack.
Ivan Vukomanovic's have managed to keep their defense tight so far and their best chance of stopping Mumbai's attacking force will come if they manage to convert the game into a disruptive, cagey affair.
Prediction: Mumbai City FC 2-0 Kerala Blasters