ATK Mohun Bagan begin as firm favourites in Saturday’s ISL VIII return-leg Derby against whipping boys SC East Bengal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.

ATK Mohun Bagan are eighth in the ISL standings, but can jump to fourth place if they log full points against their arch-rivals. SC East Bengal are rock bottom in the points table with just nine points to show for from 13 games.

ATK Mohun Bagan have a cause for worry though. Their talismanic striker and one of the three captains for the season, Roy Krishna, is nursing a hamstring injury and is racing against time to be fit for the game. If Krishna, who picked up the injury during the Odisha FC game on January 23, doesn’t start, then David Williams will be the first-choice as replacement.

ATK Mohun Bagan haven’t lost to SC East Bengal in the ISL, banging in eight goals in three matches. The last time they met, the spectre of a resounding rout loomed over the red-and-gold brigade as ATK Mohun Bagan were up 3-0 within 23 minutes. Fortunately for SC East Bengal, the scoreline remained the same after 90 minutes of action.

The Derby has become too one-sided in the recent past and, going by SC East Bengal’s wretched form, it will require a Herculean effort from them if they are to turn the tide on Saturday.

ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Juan Ferrando will have the services of Hugo Boumous, who will return to the fold after serving a one-match suspension. “I am happy to be a part of this fixture. For me, it is a pleasure to be involved in such a big game. It is an opportunity to be part of this legacy. But, we do understand that at the end of the day, our target is to get three points and improve on how we play. It is necessary not to lose focus,” Ferrando said on the eve of the marquee clash.

On SC East Bengal, he said: “They have changed a lot since the season started. If I talk about the last three-four games, their players played more freely, were compact, and pushed hard. I guess their supporters are happier now with the performance.” Well, that’s debatable after the 0-4 hammering Mario Rivera’s men got at the hands of Hyderabad FC in their last game.

SC East Bengal have been guilty of leaking goals before half-time and Rivera would want to break the pattern against the marauding attacking line of ATK Mohun Bagan. East Bengal have conceded 11 goals in the 15-minute period before half-time this season. No team has conceded more goals in this period. In fact, no team has conceded more goals than SC East Bengal (16) in the first-half of games this season.

“When you play a Derby, league positions do not matter. The Derby is always about facing your top rival and the outcome can be anything,” the Spaniard said. “ATK Mohun Bagan have one of the best attacking line-ups in the ISL. We have to stop their runs and make sure we don’t give them much space to manoeuvre.

“You need the right mix of technicality and tactical prowess to win a match,” he argued.