Bengaluru FC renew hostilities with Mumbai FC when the two teams clash in an I-League encounter at the Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Three draws in as many meetings will also throw another chance for either teams to break the hoodoo as Bengaluru look to keep the pressure on leaders Mohun Bagan who they trail by three points.

“Every game we are playing at the minute, we are trying to win. This will be no different. Mohun Bagan haven’t lost yet but as I’ve said, we can’t really rely on other teams beating them. We have to rely on ourselves. We have 8 games left and if we win them all I’m sure we will be there or thereabouts,” said Bengaluru FC head coach Ashley Westwood on the eve of the game.

Mumbai FC are coming on the back of a heavy 6-0 loss to Shillong Lajong in Mumbai but Westwood chose to tread with caution. “We haven’t seen the game but 6-0 is a damaging score line. It may just have been a blip. They’ve been consistent in the I-League so far. They work for set pieces, have a long throw and are fairly direct so we’re not really looking at their last result. Instead, we’ll see what they are bringing in and will figure what we are in for,” he said.

Bengaluru were involved in a crazy game themselves last week when a see-saw encounter at home with Royal Wahingdoh ended 3-3 and Westwood feels Tuesday’s game will be another open encounter. “Mumbai FC are hard to beat and hard to break down. They are in a position where they need to win and a draw won’t do them any good. So, hopefully they will go for the win and it will be an open game.”

However, his opposite number in Khalid Jamil suggested his team would be happy to take back a point. “I always tell the team that we have to win every game but tomorrow’s game is different. Even if we take one point from it, that is enough. The important thing is to forget last week’s result and treat this as a fresh start. Once the game begins and the confidence builds, we will see where it takes us,” said Jamil.

The same fixture at Mumbai’s Cooperage Stadium ended 1-1 when Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s brilliant strike was evened out by Josimar’s header. While all three games Bengaluru and Mumbai have been involved in have ended in draws, the action has been anything but dull. If the battles on field have been intriguing, the action on the touchline and in the stands have never been short of animation.

Despite a hectic fixture list that will see the Blues play their third game in a week, Westwood has no injury concerns which is a testament to the fitness regimen the boys have been put through all season. Meanwhile, Mumbai FC winger Jayesh Rane has recovered from an injury to make the squad. The game kicks off at 19.00 IST.