The red and gold brigade made up significant ground in the title race at the weekend when they defeated Rangdajied 3-1, while none of the top four could muster a win and three suffered losses including leaders Bengaluru.
Seventh placed East Bengal are now ten points behind leaders Bengaluru, but the local heavyweights to their advantage have played three games less.
However, East Bengal will have injury worries of James Moga and Seminlen Doungel and it remains to be seen whether either of them are passed fit for the clash, but the whole squad is aware that they cannot afford to drop points.
Mumbai are still threatened by relegation as they are only three points above rock-bottom Churchill Brothers.
Khalid Jamil's side have only suffered one defeat in the last 10 games but they are the draw specialists in the league with six of the last seven ending all square.
Their last match was on March 15 away at Sporting Clube and it finished 1-1.
Jamil would happily settle for another point even if that extends their winless streak to eight.
"Our priority is to save ourselves from relegation. If we keep playing the way we are playing, there is no doubt that we can survive," Jamil said.
Mumbai have the added incentive of doing the double over East Bengal for the second time in I-League history and they also lead the head-to-head record with five wins, four defeats and two draws.
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