Mumbai City vs Kerala Blasters: Mumbai City FC and Kerala Blasters FC are set to clash in an exciting Indian Super League clash at the Mumbai Football Arena. Mumbai city is 9th in the standings while Kerala is 8th.

Mumbai City vs Kerala Blasters Head-to-Head Record

Mumbai City: 9 Wins
Kerala Blasters: 5 Wins
Draws: 6

Five encounters:

• 24 Dec 2023: Kerala Blasters 2-0 Mumbai City
• 08 Oct 2023: Mumbai City 2-1 Kerala Blasters
• 08 Jan 2023: Mumbai City 4-0 Kerala Blasters
• 28 Oct 2022: Kerala Blasters 0-2 Mumbai City
• 02 Mar 2022: Kerala Blasters 3-1 Mumbai City

Recent Form

Kerala Blasters: W, D, D, W, L
Mumbai City: D, L, D, W, D

Key Players

Mumbai City FC

• Nikos Karelis: Leading goal scorer with 3 goals, capable of influencing the attack.
• Phurba Tempa Lachenpa: Solid in goal, offering reliable shot-stopping ability.

Kerala Blasters FC

• Jesus Jimenez: Top scorer with 4 goals, a constant threat in the forward line.
• Adrian Luna: Creative presence in midfield, instrumental in setting up attacking plays.

Possible Lineups

Mumbai City FC (4-3-3)

• Goalkeeper: Phurba Tempa Lachenpa
• Defenders: Hmingthan Mawia, Jose Luis Espinosa Arroyo, Mehtab Singh, Nathan Asher Rodrigues
• Midfield: Yoell Van Nieff, Jon Toral, Lallianzuala Chhangte
• Attackers: Jayesh Rane, Vikram Pratap Singh, Nikos Karelis

Kerala Blasters FC (3-5-2)

• Goalkeeper: Som Kumar
• Defenders: Alexandre Coeff, Pritam Kotal, Ruivah Hormipam, Soraisham Sandeep Singh, Huidrom Naocha Singh
• Midfield: Danish Farooq, Adrian Luna, Vibin Mohanan
• Attackers: Jesus Jimenez, Kwame Peprah

7 Important Match Stats

1. The most common result between these two teams is 1-1, occurring four times.
2. In the last 20 meetings, Mumbai has outscored Kerala 30-17.
3. Kerala Blasters haven’t scored in only one of their three away matches this season.
4. Mumbai City have a strong home record, with seven consecutive unbeaten home games.
5. Kerala Blasters have conceded in each of their last seven matches.
6. Mumbai averages 1.8 goals per game against Kerala Blasters, while Kerala averages 1.2 goals.
7. Kerala has scored in six consecutive matches, showing consistent attacking form.

SWOT Analysis: Mumbai City vs Kerala Blasters

Mumbai City FC

Strengths

• Strong Home Record: Mumbai City is unbeaten in their last 7 home games, displaying a robust performance when playing on their own turf. They’ve won 6 of the last 10 home games against Kerala, making their home ground a fortress.
• Scoring Advantage: With an average of 1.8 goals scored per game against Kerala, Mumbai has a clear upper hand in finding the net. They also have a cumulative goal difference of 30-17 over the last 20 meetings.
• Consistent Performance: The team often performs well when leading, winning 66% of matches when they score the first goal at home. This indicates their ability to maintain control once they get ahead.
• Defensive Stability: They have the defensive capability to keep Kerala at bay, conceding fewer goals than Kerala on average in their head-to-head matchups.

Weaknesses

• Slow Start to Matches: Mumbai only wins the first half in 25% of their matches, showing that they tend to build up momentum as the game progresses rather than taking control from the start.
• Difficulty in Comeback: When trailing 0-1 at home, Mumbai has a 50% win rate, which is relatively low for a top team. They may struggle when forced to play catch-up.

Opportunities

• Capitalize on Kerala’s Defensive Vulnerabilities: Kerala has conceded in each of their last seven matches, providing Mumbai with a chance to exploit Kerala’s defense and secure early goals.
• Leverage Top Scorer: With Nikos Karelis being a key scorer, Mumbai City can rely on his attacking presence to increase their goal tally and apply consistent pressure.

Threats

• Kerala’s Improving Form: Kerala’s recent run of scoring in six consecutive matches indicates they are dangerous on the counter. Mumbai must stay alert to Kerala’s goal-scoring threat.
• Recent Head-to-Head Performance: Kerala managed a 2-0 victory in their last meeting, which may give Kerala confidence and motivate them to repeat this result.

Kerala Blasters FC

Strengths

• Resilient Scoring: Kerala has scored at least one goal in their last six matches, showing a consistent ability to find the back of the net, even if they concede.
• Decent Away Form: Despite their defensive struggles, Kerala’s away record this season (1-2-0) reflects resilience and adaptability on the road, especially considering they have scored in all but one away game.
• Momentum in H2H Results: Winning the last meeting 2-0 against Mumbai, Kerala has the psychological edge, which could boost their confidence.
• Quick Starts: Kerala wins the first half in 28% of matches, slightly better than Mumbai, which could give them the initial edge if they capitalize early.

Weaknesses

• Defensive Fragility: Kerala has struggled defensively, having conceded in each of their last seven games. This defensive vulnerability could be a major setback, especially against a high-scoring Mumbai side.
• Struggles When Trailing: Kerala wins only 12% of matches when they fall behind 1-0 away, indicating that they find it difficult to bounce back once they concede.

Opportunities

• Capitalize on Early Goals: Kerala has a strong record when they lead 1-0 away, winning 50% of such games. If they can score first, they have a good chance of controlling the match and possibly securing a positive result.
• High-Scoring Potential: With an average of 3 goals in matches between these teams, Kerala can aim to exploit any defensive gaps Mumbai might leave open during attacking transitions.

Threats

• Mumbai’s Dominance at Home: Given Mumbai’s unbeaten record in recent home matches and their high scoring rate, Kerala faces an uphill battle, particularly in containing Mumbai’s offensive power.
• Draw Likelihood and Close Matches: With four matches ending 1-1, there’s a risk of Kerala getting bogged down in a close game rather than being able to push for a win, limiting their points gain.

Prediction

Based on the current form and historical performance, Mumbai City FC holds a slight edge, particularly with their strong home record and better overall head-to-head results. However, Kerala’s consistency in scoring and recent improvement in form could make this a close contest.

Predicted Outcome: Mumbai City 2-1 Kerala Blasters

Mumbai City vs Kerala Blasters Prediction

Mumbai City’s strong home record and slight edge in recent form suggest they may come out on top. Kerala Blasters, however, could pose a threat with their improved scoring record.

Predicted Score: Mumbai City 1-0 Kerala Blasters

Where to Watch: Mumbai City vs Kerala Blasters

• Free Streaming: JioCinema (Available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam)
• Television Broadcast:
  • Sports 18 – 3 (English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam)
  • Asianet Plus (Malayalam)
  • Select ISL matches also on Sports 18 – 1, Sports 18 – 2, and Sports 18 – Khel

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