Bhowmick hinted at a couple of changes in the side

Calcutta: Current league leaders Dempo?s goalless draw against Mahindra United in Margao paved the way for East Bengal to regain top spot when they face Churchill Brothers under lights at the Salt Lake Stadium on Friday.

The red-and-golds were overtaken by Dempo as East Bengal lost their 16th round tie against Fransa on Tuesday. But a win on Friday will once again give them the initiative.

East Bengal are likely to make a couple of changes in the side with Sandip Das coming in for Debjit Ghosh, while Surya Bikash Chakraborty or Sasthi Duley replacing Syed Rahim Nabi. ?We will aim for one point from the outing,? East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick said on Thursday.

According to the East Bengal coach, the footballers are in a difficult situation, but they know the way out from such situations. Though he kept the identity of the final XI a closely guarded secret, there were indications that Brazilian Juliano Martins may figure in the starting line-up.

Though Bhowmick didn?t disclose his plan to counter the visitors, it was learnt that Marcos Perriera and Yusif Yakubu will be kept under guard.

East Bengal are placed second with 33 points from 16 matches while Churchill Brothers are on 17.

Meanwhile, with their main strike force crippled due to injuries to strikers Ashim Biswas, Sunil Chhetri and game-maker Jo Paul Ancheri, beleaguered former champions Mohun Bagan have an uphill task, going out to try and garner full points from high flying Sporting Clube de Goa at the Nehru Stadium, in the 17th round of National Football League for the ONGC Cup Friday.

Mohun Bagan are hovering around relegation zone, placed eighth that they are, with 17 points from 16 matches. A win can be their only target, adds PTI from Margao.

Coach Amal Dutta, who took charge from Subrata Bhattacharya, said faulty selection and internal differences of the team management had led the team to a shambles. Then he said he has accepted the challenge to pull the team out of the morass. ?The team has played three matches under me, collecting two points with draws against Dempo and State Bank of Travancore before going down to Mahindra United under questionable circumstances,? he said.

?To play against a Goan team in Goa, is tough and we have come here well in advance to prepare ourselves against Sporting and Vasco and collect full points, which will give more confidence to our boys to play our next match at home against arch rivals East Bengal,? stated Dutta.

Sporting, placed third with 32 points from 16 matches will play their full strength and are raring to go all out for a win to keep themselves in the race for the title, along with Dempo (35 points) and East Bengal (33).