Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters Prediction: Mumbai had a week to forget and will be looking to move on from a draw against Odisha

Mumbai City FC will welcome Kerala Blasters in Gameweek 3 of the Indian Super League at Mumbai Football Arena. Mumbai had a week to forget and will be looking to move on from a draw against Odisha. Who will win? 

Mumbai City FC recently engaged in an exciting clash against Odisha, which ultimately concluded with a 2-2 draw at Kalinga Stadium. The Islanders found themselves trailing as the game approached its final moments, but a late equalizer by Jorge Pereyra Diaz in the 88th minute left the Juggernauts surprised.

Furthermore, Mumbai City FC had an away fixture in the AFC Champions League against Uzbekistan's Navbahor Namangan, where they suffered a 0-3 defeat.

Phurba Lachenpa; Rahul Bheke ©, Rostyn Griffiths, Tiri, Akash Mishra; Vinit Rai, Apuia, Greg Stewart; Gurkirat Singh, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Lallianzuala Chhangte

In contrast, Kerala Blasters secured their second consecutive victory to begin the tenth edition, narrowly defeating Jamshedpur. The Red Miners seemed to be steering the match towards another goalless draw, but the winning goal, courtesy of captain Adrian Luna, proved to be the savior for the Yellow and Blues in the 74th minute.

Despite earning three points, the Tuskers' offensive display left much to be desired, as they could only muster three shots on target throughout the match.

Sachin Suresh; Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, Milos Drincic, Aiban Dohling; Daisuke Sakai, Jeakson Singh Thaunaojam, Danish Farooq, Mohammed Aimen; Adrian Luna ©, Dimitrios Diamantakos

These two Indian top-tier clubs are among the original eight members of the Indian Super League and have been competing against each other since the league's inception.

Mumbai City FC has historically held the upper hand over Kerala Blasters FC, with the Blasters securing their first victory in this rivalry only in the eighth encounter. The head-to-head record favors the Mumbai-based side at 8-4. Mumbai City FC has scored a total of 28 goals in their 18 meetings, while the Kochi-based club has managed only 14.

In the most recent matches between these teams, Mumbai City FC defeated Kerala Blasters FC 2-0 in an away fixture and then dominated them with a four-goal margin in the return fixture at home.

Former Kerala Blasters FC player Jorge Pereyra Diaz, now leading Mumbai City FC's offensive unit, has made significant contributions in recent encounters, scoring four goals in the last four clashes between these two teams, regardless of which side he played for.

A thrilling clash awaits between these two contenders, marking the last ISL match before a 12-day break for international fixtures. The home team holds a slight edge in this contest due to the favorable home conditions, but the Blasters may benefit from their busy travel schedule in the previous week.