Preview: Coventry City vs. Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship bottom club Barnsley will hope to build on their first league victory in 14 matches when they travel to Coventry City on Saturday.

Despite finally getting a win on the board, the Tykes remain six points adrift of safety. Meanwhile, the Sky Blues sit 12th in the table.

Match preview

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A stunning strike from Domingos Quina gave Barnsley a shock 1-0 win over promotion-chasing Queens Park Rangers last weekend.

It was Poya Asbaghi's first three points since succeeding Markus Schopp in mid-November and only the Tykes' third win of the entire Championship campaign.

The South Yorkshire outfit now face one of the other two teams that they have beaten this season – the now-departed Dominik Frieser scored the only goal of the game as Barnsley won 1-0 against Coventry in August.

However, the Tykes have lost 11 of their last 12 away matches and are one of only two teams in the top four divisions of English football yet to win on the road this season (along with Burnley).

Furthermore, Barnsley have an atrocious record away at Coventry; they last won there in August 1923 – failing to do so on their 26 visits since then.

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Sixty-one percent of Coventry's points have come at home this season, but they have won just twice in nine league games at the CBS Arena since the beginning of October.

That is a reflection of their overall form as Mark Robins's side have taken just three wins from their last 13 league matches to slip away from the playoff picture.

A 2-0 defeat away to Cardiff City on Tuesday night left the Sky Blues five points adrift of the top six with a third of the campaign remaining.

Robins seemed to dismiss suggestions that his team could still make the playoffs after losing in South Wales, admitting that they were "below par".

Team News

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Coventry remain depleted by injuries with Liam Kelly, Matt Godden, Josh Eccles and Fankaty Dabo all currently sidelined.

The Sky Blues will also continue to be without Gustavo Hamer, who will serve the second of his two-match suspension.

Jake Clarke-Salter and Ian Maatsen will be pushing to return to the starting lineup after dropping to the bench at Cardiff in midweek.

Asbaghi is likely to name an unchanged Barnsley lineup after finally getting a league win on the board last weekend.

Liam Kitching and Aaron Leya Iseka both missed the victory through injury and Asbaghi admitted that he was not sure how long the pair would be out for.

Flying wing-back Callum Brittain could be fit to be involved after being sidelined for the last six matches.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Moore; Hyam, McFadzean, Clarke-Salter; Kane, Sheaf, Allen, Maatsen; O'Hare, Shipley; Gyokeres

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Collins; J. Williams, Andersen, Helik; Gomes; Styles, Benson, Quina, Vita; Bassi, Morris

We say: Coventry City 1-1 Barnsley

Barnsley will have been lifted by victory last weekend, but winning away from home might be another matter entirely. Coventry have been inconsistent of late though and continue to struggle with injuries, so we think that this game will end all square.