Stoke City host Championship play-off chasing Coventry City at the BET365 Stadium in a huge Midlands derby.
Victory could lift Stoke up to as high as 16th depending upon results elsewhere, whilst Coventry will stay sixth with a win.
Team News
Wouter Burger and Junior Tchamadeu are doubts for Stoke after they picked up minor knocks in their midweek win over QPR.
Enda Stevens remains absent with a hamstring injury.
Coventry could welcome Callum O’Hare back into contention after he sat out their midweek 2-2 draw at Plymouth, due to fatigue.
Ben Sheaf (hamstring) and Jamie Allen (cheekbone) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Stoke host Coventry at BET365 Stadium on Saturday 17 February at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Stoke have won one of their last seven league meetings against Coventry (W1, D3, L3).
- Coventry are unbeaten in five of their last six league visits to Stoke (W4, D1, L1).
- Both teams have scored in three of their last four meetings at BET365 Stadium.
- Stoke have kept clean sheets in three of their last five league matches at home.
- Coventry have scored in each of their last nine league games on the road (W4, D2, L3).
Prediction
Having ended their four-match losing run with a narrow home win over QPR in midweek, Stoke need to treat that result as a launchpad coming into this game because they will need to be clinical and disciplined to beat an in-form Coventry despite their poor recent record.
Coventry meanwhile know that a win will keep the final play-off spot under their own control but did well to snatch a draw away to a tricky Plymouth team, especially from behind twice which underlines the belief, grit and quality within this team.
O’Hare’s absence in that game also might work to Coventry’s advantage because he is one of their best attacking players, but I do expect Stoke to try and make it a tough game for Mark Robins’ men given that both teams do leak goals.
Prediction: Stoke 1-2 Coventry
Result: Stoke 0-1 Coventry
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