GUWAHATI, Dec 7 - After playing back-to-back draws, NorthEast United FC will look forward to snatch full points in a bid to qualify for the playoffs when they host ATK at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here tomorrow.
Both sides are on an unbeaten run of four games as NorthEast were held to draws by Jamshedpur and Bengaluru in their last two fixtures while ATK�s visit will be on the back of a thrilling 3-2 victory on the road to Chennaiyin.
NorthEast are third with 19 points after 10 matches. ATK are not far behind, at sixth with 15 points after the same number of rounds.
The Highlanders� best ever points tally in the ISL was way back in 2015 when they finished fifth with 20 points.�
A win tomorrow will make it their best ever ISL season, something Schattorie will be keen to achieve in order to highlight the progress the team has made under him.
In their previous match, the Highlanders dominated and would have handed Bengaluru their first defeat of the season if not for an acrobatic injury-time equaliser by Chencho Gyeltshen.�
Despite the late equaliser, Schattorie will have had plenty of positives to note down from the match.
The Dutchman is concerned about fatigue building up, given this will be his team�s third match in eight days.
�I am worried that my biggest opponent tomorrow is fatigue. My goal is to stay in the top four but it is a huge task. Jamshedpur, Bengaluru and ATK have the same structure of defending,� Schattorie said.
�They all play 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, it�s almost the same. But their offensive strategy is completely different from all the other teams. So, for us it will be difficult to open.�
�But at least we had two games in row which are similar to ATK before this. So the players are used to that,� he added.
ATK�s season has been full of ups and downs. After losing their first two games this season, Steve Coppell�s team has had mixed results.
�Sometimes it takes time to get to know your squad. You need to know the key components of the team, finding the right combination and the variety of the team. You gather knowledge about the squad as the season progresses,� said Coppell.
