Preview:Coventry City vs Birmingham City - prediction, team news, lineups

Both with ambitions of competing in the Premier League next season, Coventry City and Birmingham City clash in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Sky Blues have enjoyed a promising start to the 2025-26 term, whilst Blues are quickly getting to grips with life back in the second tier.

Match preview

After missing out on promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, Coventry City are no longer a plucky underdog for a place in the promised land of English football, as shown by their impressive start to proceedings in 2025-26.

The Sky Blues extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to six matches last Saturday afternoon, when Frank Lampard's troops and recently-relegated Leicester City played out a goalless draw in the M69 derby at a sold-out King Power Stadium.

Joining table-topping Middlesbrough as the only sides left unbeaten in the division after six matches, Coventry currently occupy sixth spot in the Championship rankings ahead of this weekend's hosting of Birmingham, six points off Rob Edwards's pacesetters.

The Midlands outfit produced the standout victory of the league season so far at the Coventry Building Society Arena in late August, when Haji Wright, Victor Torp and attacking midfielder Jack Rudoni all bagged brilliant braces in the 7-1 smashing of Queens Park Rangers.

Despite a largely positive opening to the term, the Sky Blues are currently in the midst of a four-game winless run across all competitions, a spell which includes an EFL Cup second-round exit at the hands of fellow Championship outfit Millwall last month.

Following a saddening spell of three straight defeats without finding the net, Birmingham City fans were given something to celebrate late on at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park last time out, when Lyndon Dykes arrived from the bench and netted an added-time winner over Swansea City.

Huge credit must be handed to the Scotland international for his impact as a substitute so far this season despite the fact that he was mightily close to securing a move to Scottish Premiership side Hibernian during the final knockings of the summer window.

Yet to find their best XI, Birmingham are picking up points at an acceptable rate as they chase down back-to-back promotions and sit eighth in the Championship table, just two points behind Stoke City, who are currently guarding entry to the top-two positions.

Missing more big chances than any other player in the division so far this season, Kyogo Furuhashi has endured a confidence-draining start to life in England's second city, although the 30-year-old has the ability to be a world-beater should he find his scoring boots.

Birmingham have struggled during trips to the CBS Arena in recent times, with Coventry winning the last two matches at the venue between the two sides, both by relatively comfortable 2-0 scorelines.

Coventry City Championship form:

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Team News

Coventry remain without the services of Joel Latibeaudiere, who picked up a troubling knee injury at the beginning of the season.

After failing to find the net at Leicester last weekend, the Sky Blues could bring Ellis Simms into the team to freshen up the attack.

Birmingham are unable to call upon the talents of Willum Willumsson and Keshi Anderson, with the pair of League One heroes set for a few weeks on the sidelines.

Providing an excellent delivery for Dykes's headed winner last time out, Patrick Roberts will fancy his chances of earning a start at the CBS Arena.

There could be a forced alteration at the back for Birmingham, who are awaiting news regarding the availability of left-back Alex Cochrane.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Torp, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Thomas-Asante; Wright

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Allsop; Osayi-Samuel, Klarer, Robinson, Cashin; Paik, Iwata; Roberts, Stansfield, Gray; Ducksch