Coventry City host Middlesbrough at CBS Arena in this weekend’s stand-out Sky Bet Championship clash.
With both teams entering this match off the back of opening defeats, Coventry and Middlesbrough can move into the top-half of the table with a win.
Team News
Coventry have no fresh injury concerns to report but will be without Gustavo Hamer after a bid from Sheffield United was accepted for the midfielder.
Callum O’Hare (ACL), Jamie Allen (illness) and Fabio Tavares (Achilles)
Middlesbrough could welcome Alex Gilbert back after he missed their midweek Carabao Cup win at Huddersfield with a hand injury.
Matt Clarke (back), Tommy Smith (ankle), Anfernee Dijksteel (leg), Josh Coburn and Chuba Akpom (both knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Coventry host Middlesbrough at CBS Arena in a 12:30pm BST kick-off on Saturday 12 August, live on Sky Sports in UK.
Stat Attack
- Coventry have lost just one of their last six meetings against Middlesbrough (W3, D2, L1).
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last seven visits to Coventry (W1, D2, L4).
- Coventry have kept clean sheets in each of their last three home matches against Middlesbrough (W2, D1).
- Coventry have kept just two clean sheets in their last seven home games (W3, D3, L1).
- Boro have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 away matches in the Championship (W7, D2, L6), which came in a goalless draw in first leg of their play-off semi-final loss to Coventry.
Prediction
With defeats in their opening league game and Carabao Cup clash against Leicester and AFC Wimbledon respectively from one goal up, Coventry now simply need to reset and try to cut out their late defensive focus drop-offs because they otherwise have done well until the closing stages.
Middlesbrough meanwhile responded to a lacklustre defeat at home to Millwall last weekend with a clinical comeback to beat Huddersfield in midweek, although their defensive playout into attack needs to improve because Coventry are a well-organised team who will surely punish any sloppy play.
This away trip however has been a bogey game for Boro but having won at Huddersfield, they will have confidence coming into this game compared to Coventry who needs to tighten up more, otherwise I fancy the visitors to nick something in the closing minutes.
Prediction: Coventry 1-1 Middlesbrough
Result: Coventry 3-0 Middlesbrough