Mumbai's Anelka set for ISL debut on Chennai's home turf

CHENNAI: The long Diwali weekend is over, but there are a few more fireworks in store as Chennaiyin FC host Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday.
Playing their second game on home turf, Chennaiyin FC face the task of turning things around after a 1-4 loss to Delhi Dyanamos. Similarly, Mumbai City FC, on three points after their recent 0-2 loss to NorthEast United FC at home, will have to have to be at the top of their game to move up the ISL ladder.Chennai looked good in the game they played at home last Tuesday against Kerala Blasters, and with a passionate crowd going full blast to support them at home, things might well be difficult for Mumbai.
Mumbai are also caught up in injury and card problems with defenders Fredrick Ljungberg nursing a hamstring and defender Cmovs Pavel out with suspension. But it's not all doom and gloom in the Mumbai camp, primarily because Nicolas Anelka will be available.
The Frenchman was forced to serve a three-match ban for an anti-Semetic gesture while playing for West Brom last season, but that's over and the star is set to start for Mumbai.
Anelka will lead the attack and coach Peter Reid will hope that scoring goals won't be an issue for his team. Brazilian Andre Moritz, who scored a brilliant hat-trick against FC Pune City , will also be there with Anelka testing Mikael Silvestre & Co in the Chennai defence.
The Chennaiyin FC management, though, is not losing sleep over Anelka's presence. "We won't have any particular strategy for Anelka. We have players to do a job for us and we have the quality to stop Anelka when he is in possession," Vivek Nagul, the assistant coach of Chennaiyin FC, said.
Abhishek Das -one of the key In dian components of the Chennaiyin FC defence -missed the last game against Delhi and Denson Devadas, taking his place, wasn't as effective. Chennai's hopes will once again hinge on the graceful Elano, who has been the midfield general for the team. A couple of goals that he has scored from free-kicks have been pure magic and manager Marco Materazzi would expect the Brazilian to keep delivering. Nagul, though, insisted that Chennai are not just about Elano.
"His performances have been very positive for us but we are not overdependent on him. We are a team with quality on all departments and hopefully other players will also get on the scoresheet tomorrow," the assistant coach said.
Chennai have a few internal legal issues brewing with Swedish midfielder Pierre Tillman, who was forced to leave the club without playing a game, serving a notice to the owners for breach of contract. The player alleged that he was not paid the $50,000 he was signed for and his reputation was damaged as a result of the abrupt departure from the team. The club, it has been learnt, has agreed to reinstate the midfielder into the team and pay him as per the contract agreement.