Six matches already played and SC East Bengal are still looking for their first win in ISL VIII. On Friday, at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, SC East Bengal will be hoping for three points when they take on fellow-strugglers NorthEast United FC.

SC East Bengal have already conceded 15 goals and are placed at the bottom of the 11-team points table. So it was not surprising to see Jose Manuel Diaz mincing no words to let the players know what he demands of them.

“We must keep working hard and focus on our strong points. The attitude within the squad is very good. The emphasis should be on not making big mistakes during the match,” he said on match-eve.

The Spaniard relied on statistics when asked about his opinion on the performance of the foreign players. “Out of the nine goals we have scored, eight have been scored by the foreigners,” Diaz said.

NorthEast United has had a tough start to the tournament as well, sitting at 10th place with four points from six matches. Diaz refused to be complacent and felt it would be a tough match. “NorthEast United were one of the best four teams last season. Their team did not have a good start to this season much like us, so it will be a tough match for both teams,” he said.

SC East Bengal have been plagued by injuries. However, the Spanish coach said captain Arindam Bhattacharya, who was out after picking up an injury against ATK Mohun Bagan late last month, could return to the starting eleven.