Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Coventry City and Sheffield United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday.
The Blades currently sit second and only trail leaders Sunderland on goal difference, while their hosts sit 17th having played out a draw prior to the recent break following Mark Robins‘s departures.
Match preview
Coventry City head into their second game without Mark Robins at the helm on Saturday aiming to bounce back to winning ways and kickstart a climb up the Championship table.
Robins’s seven-year tenure came to an end in early November after a disappointing start to the second-tier campaign, culminating in a 2-1 home defeat to Derby County after picking up back-to-back wins over Middlesbrough and Luton Town.
Following fifth and ninth-placed finishes over the previous two terms, that defeat left the Sky Blues 17th on 15 points from 14 league outings ahead of a tough trip to league leaders Sunderland in the final game before the November international break.
They headed to the Stadium of Light under the temporary stewardship of Rhys Carr and trailed 2-0 until the hour mark following first-half goals from Wilson Isidor and Dennis Cirkin, but the Midlands outfit were able to snatch a point as Haji Wright halved the deficit and Jack Rudoni forced a share of the spoils with a leveller six minutes from time.
Still under the management of Carr, but with Frank Lampard reportedly lined up to take the reins, Coventry City will bid to kickstart a climb towards the top half of the Championship with a home victory to narrow their three-point gap to Swansea City, Derby and Stoke City in 11th, 12th and 13th spots.
© Imago
That will be no easy task, though, as the visitors arrive at the Coventry Building Society Arena in search of a fifth straight league win in their pursuit of top spot in England’s second tier.
Following their relegation from the Premier League last time around, Sheffield United have enjoyed a fine start to the new campaign, only trailing leaders Sunderland on goal difference due to a two-point deduction having earned the highest tally in the division thus far.
From their opening 15 games, the Blades have picked up 10 victories and only suffered two defeats, coming consecutively in October, and they bounced back in style, heading into the international break on the back of four straight triumphs and boasting the Championship’s strongest defensive record having only conceded seven goals.
After seeing off Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers and beating Bristol City on the road thanks to a Harrison Burrows winner deep into injury time, Chris Wilder‘s men most recently hosted rivals Sheffield Wednesday in a Steel City Derby and moved second with an important victory, as Tyrese Campbell netted the only goal of the game at Bramall Lane early in the second half.
Now returning from the break in a strong position, Sheffield United will bid to move to the summit of the table with another three-point haul in their bid for an immediate promotion back to the top flight this term.
Coventry City Championship form:
Sheffield United Championship form:
Team News
© Imago
Coventry City are dealing with several injury issues heading into the weekend, as Haji Wright could miss out after picking up an injury before the injury break, forcing him to miss the international break with USA, while Jamie Allen, Jake Bidwell and Ellis Simms should remain confined to the treatment room alongside goalkeepers Ben Wilson.
In the expected absence of Wright and Simms, Norman Bassette could come in to join Brandon Thomas-Asante up front, while Jack Rudoni and Victor Torp will offer further attacking support from midfield.
Captain Ben Sheaf will hope to return to the midfield after missing the trip to Sunderland, while Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Thomas and Luis Binks could continue in a back three and Oliver Dovin should be deemed fit to return between the sticks.
Sheffield United have several injury issues of their own ahead of Saturday’s trip, with attackers Kieffer Moore and Rhian Brewster remaining sidelined, while Oliver Arblaster will miss out after picking up an injury in their Steel City Derby victory.
With Tom Davies yet to make a return to full fitness in time to start at the weekend, Sydie Peck will join key man Vinicius Souza in the engine room, while Alfie Gilchrist, Harry Souttar, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Harrison Burrows will again line up in a back four given the Blades’ eye-catching defensive record.
In Moore’s absence, Tyrese Campbell, who has netted three goals in the Blades’ last four Championship outings, is bound to lead the line in their 4-2-3-1 shape, likely with support from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and the former Coventry duo of Callum O’Hare and Gustavo Hamer, who made a combined tally of 314 appearances for the Sky Blues.
Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Dovin; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Binks; Van Ewijk, Kitching, Sheaf, Rudoni; Torp; Thomas-Asante, Bassette
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Gilchrist, Souttar, Ahmedhodzic, Burrows; Peck, Souza; Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Hamer; Campbell
We say: Coventry City 0-1 Sheffield United
With the hosts yet to get truly up and running this season and the visitors returning to action on the back of four straight victories thanks to the league’s strongest defensive record, we back the Blades to get over the line in a tight contest at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
