Coventry City welcome Midlands rivals, West Bromwich Albion to Coventry Building Society Arena in Saturday’s stand-out Sky Bet Championship clash.
Victory would lift Coventry up to third for a few hours whereas West Brom likewise can go third themselves until QPR play on Sunday afternoon.
Team News
Michael Rose could return for Coventry after illness kept him out of last weekend’s comeback 2-2 away draw against Bournemouth.
Gustavo Hamer (foot) is a doubt but Jake Clarke-Salter and Martyn Waghorn remains absent with respective Achilles and shoulder injuries.
West Brom will be without Jayson Molumby after he was red carded in last weekend’s goalless draw against Nottingham Forest.
Kenneth Zohore (muscle), Kean Bryan (knee), Rayhaan Tulloch (groin) and Dara O’Shea (ankle) remain ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Coventry have won just one of their last seven league meetings against West Brom (W1, D1, L5).
- West Brom are unbeaten in their last four away league games against Coventry (W3, D1, L1).
- Mark Robins’ Sky Blues are yet to lose in front of Sky Sports cameras this season (W2, D1).
- Failure to score here would see West Brom go four consecutive matches without a goal for the first time since February-June 2020 – albeit league was suspended during that streak.
- Although this is Coventry’s first home match to be refereed by Keith Stroud this season, the Sky Blues have lost five of ten previous matches under Stroud’s whistle. (W3, D2, L5).
Prediction
Having endured two goalless draws on their return from last month’s international break, Coventry delivered a fantastic fightback to recover from 2-0 down at ten-man Bournemouth in what certainly was an evenly matched match despite spending the first half largely playing second fiddle.
West Brom meanwhile are still in a rut which is surely now of worry given the widening gap between them and automatic promotion spots, yet they are still dominant in attack but just lacking that final touch so this away fixture has come at a good time given their form against Coventry.
I however can see Coventry making a proper fight of this game more than many would expect so the first goal will be key because if West Brom net first, I can see them kicking on otherwise Coventry could cause issues if they score first and decide to then sit back.
Prediction: Coventry 1-1 WBA
Result: Coventry 1-2 WBA