2025-26 Sky Bet Championship: Week 19 – Saturday

Ipswich meet Sky Bet Championship leaders, Coventry in a huge showdown affecting the promotion race. 

Victory could put Ipswich as high as fourth if results elsewhere go in their favour, whilst Coventry will stay top regardless of the result.

 

Team News

Ipswich have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

Sammie Szmodics (knee) could return but Alex Palmer (calf), Harry Clarke (knee), Wes Burns and Conor Townsend (both ACL) remain absent.

Coventry could welcome Tatsuhiro Sakamoto back after he missed their 3-1 comeback win against Charlton due to concussion.

Haji Wright (quad) could return but Brandon Thomas-Asante (hamstring) and Oliver Dovin (knee) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Ipswich host Coventry at Portman Road on Saturday 6 December at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Ipswich have lost just one of their last seven league meetings against Coventry (W4, D2, L1).
• Coventry have won just two of their last 14 league visits to Ipswich (W2, D2, L10).
• Ipswich won their last two meetings against Coventry by 2-1 results in 2023-24 season. during which they scored first in both games.
• George Hirst has been booked in two of Ipswich’s last three home matches (W1, D2).
• Coventry have kept a single clean sheet in their last eight matches (W7, L1).

 

Prediction

Having battled to a 1-1 draw at Blackburn on Tuesday evening with a last-gasp equaliser in a low-quality scrap, Ipswich now will need to be at their best at both ends of the pitch if want to quieten Coventry and especially the in-form Josh Eccles and Ellis Simms.

Coventry meanwhile have conceded first in two of their last three games but managed to avoid defeat through ruthless fightbacks underlining their attacking superiority, but I do think that this will be another big test of their quality against  Ipswich who can grind out results when not winning.

Portman Road also has been a bogey away ground for Coventry but on current form, you have to think that this could be the ideal time to break that duck but Ipswich are difficult to beat when they’re at home so a draw might be a solid call.

Prediction: Ipswich 1-1 Coventry

Result: Ipswich 3-0 Coventry