Mumbai FC have had a tough run of form of late and will hope that a return to Cooperage will get them back on track.
Mumbai FC host Sporting Clube de Goa in an I-League round nine encounter at the Cooperage Stadium, on Saturday. The two sides meet less than two weeks after thei Valentine's Day fixture in Goa earlier this month which Sporting won 3-2.
The hosts have had a poor run of results in the competition lately with their last win coming a month ago at home to Bengaluru FC. Since then, Mumbai have played four times, losing thrice and picking up a draw against Mohun Bagan. 
Khalid Jamil's side haven't managed to register a single win on the road this season and will be hoping to start afresh in their quest to finish closer to the top with a return to home comforts.
The Mumbaikars failed to break the defence of Aizawl FC in the last match with injuries hitting their squad hard. Their captain and talisman Taisuke Matsugae was still sidelined for that one while the formidable Minchol Son also missed out through injury and Arata Izumi was benched.
However, Jamil will soon have many more options as Mumbai have been busy in the past week, signing a total of six players form Indian Super League (ISL) clubs. Nallapan Mohanraj, Clifford Miranda, Syed Rahim Nabi (Atletico de Kolkata), Naoba Singh (Delhi Dynamos), Sandip Nandy and Ishfaq Ahmed (Kerala Blasters) have all signed for the Yellow Brigade although the paper work for some of those players may not be completed in time for the game against Sporting.  
The Mumbai coach may have key players Taisuke and Son back though while Arata and Ashutosh Mehta are good to go. 
“Taisuke may start, we'll see today. We'll try, if he's fit he will play otherwise he will be there for the next match. The same goes for Son for tomorrow's game. Maybe he will play but will be available for the next match. Arata is fine. Allan, like Taisuke and Son, has a 50-50 chance. Ashutosh is fine,” Jamil mentioned during the pre-match media briefing.
Jamil is keen to address his side's current form as they sit in sixth place after earning nine points from eight games and insists that focusing entirely on the game on Saturday and then taking things step by step is the only way forward.
“We have to focus on this game. It's crucial. At the start, everyone was talking about us only drawing but then were progressed from that. It is the same now. There are always ups and downs. We have to concentrate on the next game,” he opined.
On the other hand, Sporting Goa have regularly picked up points of late and are fourth in the table having gained 11 points from eight games. Odafa Okolie struck twice the last time these two sides met and will lead the line once again but midfield dynamo Densil Theobald will miss out.
Head coach Costa is not taking anything for granted despite coming from behind to beat Mumbai in Goa, insisting that the past will not have any influence on the outcome on Saturday.
“That is history, we now have to perform and try to get a good result,” he said at the pre-match press conference.
He pointed out that it’s tough to beat Mumbai FC on their own turf, citing their unbeaten home record this season.
“Due credit to Mumbai FC, they are a very good team and it’s tough to beat them at home. We have to put our best foot forward if we have to return with a win,” Costa said.
Sporting will be looking for their third away win of the season when they take on the Mumbai outfit while the hosts will be keen to get back to winning ways and keep their hopes of finishing in the top four alive.
Kick-off is on Saturday, 7:05 p.m. IST at the Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai.