ISL 2020, SC East Bengal vs Chennaiyin FC Live Score: East Bengal faces Chennaiyin FC

Hello and welcome to Sportstar's ISL LIVE blog of the clash between SC East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC.

Chennaiyin head coach Csaba Laszlo makes his way into the arena. One worries for the state of that shirt through the course of the evening... - ISL/Sportzpics

6 pm: The giant of Indian football and a heavyweight of the ISL will take on each other for the first time. Here is a stats guide on the key numbers to look forward to.

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MATCH PREVIEW:

Chennaiyin FC (CFC) ended its four-match winless streak with a 2-1 victory over FC Goa in its last game and will head into Indian Super League's (ISL 2020-21) Boxing Day clash as the favourite when it takes on SC East Bengal (SCEB) at the Tilak Maidan on Saturday.

Things fell in place for former champion CFC in its previous encounter following the return of skipper Rafael Crivellaro, who alongside Anirudh Thapa, made the side more organised and creative.

However, CFC would still want to be sharp in the final third of the pitch and not squander as many chances as it did even in the game against Goa.

The contest against SCEB, currently last in the points table, offers a chance for CFC, currently eighth in the standings, to consolidate the momentum from the win and move up the table.

Despite starting as the favourite, CFC coach Csaba Laszlo is not taking things for granted saying, “Even if you are the favourite, there is a lot of pressure. It will be a tough game for us. They are a new team but they have adapted well. We have to concentrate very well and remain focussed."

SC East Bengal, though, would rue the fact it squandered a chance to get its first win in its last outing against Kerala Blasters FC. Despite dominating the match, it conceded an equaliser in the dying moments.

Coach Robbie Fowler said despite the heartbreak, his team’s morale is high and the things are looking good.

“The morale that we got here has been good. At times, we have been unlucky. It is totally unfortunate that you are conceding goals at the last minute. But the lads played well and we created a lot of chances,” said Fowler.

"We are not a million miles away. The tide is turning. And hopefully, it will happen pretty soon,” he added.

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The Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) marks the return of major league competition in India after the nationwide lockdown to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak was first imposed in March.

The seventh edition of the ISL got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.

ISL 2020-21 points table

The tournament, spanning over four months, will see 11 teams play each other in a league and playoff format across three venues. Following the inclusion of SC East Bengal, this season will feature 115 games, up from 95 last season.