Preview: Coventry City vs Preston North End - prediction, team news, lineups

On a mission to record their sixth straight success, Coventry City welcome out-of-form Preston North End to The Coventry Building Society Arena for a Championship match on Wednesday night.

The Sky Blues battled to victory in the West Country versus Bristol City last time out, whilst the Lilywhites suffered a sobering defeat on home soil to relegation-threatened Oxford United.

Match preview

For the first time since a good early-season run in November 2025, Coventry are in the midst of a five-game winning streak in the Championship as they look to regain Premier League status for the first time in over two decades.

The Sky Blues took another seismic and convincing step towards automatic promotion on Saturday afternoon, when first-half strikes from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and leading marksman Haji Wright sealed a 2-0 triumph at the base of Bristol City.

Now well over a month since their most recent second-tier defeat on January 31, Frank Lampard's troops have survived their mid-season slump and remain at the very summit of the Championship standings, nine points ahead of third-placed Millwall.

Boasting the best home record in the division ahead of the final 10 matches, Coventry have won four of their last five matches at the CBS Arena, a run which includes a key 3-1 beating of second-placed Middlesbrough on February 16.

A number of players have stepped up in recent times to improve the Sky Blues' promotion chances such as 16-goal striker Wright, whilst midfield enforcer Frank Onyeka has won all five matches he has appeared in since joining on loan from Brentford in early February.

Competing within the top six of the league and possessing a head coach with recent promotion experience, Preston North End seemed set to fight for a Premier League place during the first half of the term, however one win in their last 10 has all-but evaporated their top-flight dreams.

The Lilywhites' winless run extended to a worrying five matches (D2 L3) on Friday night at Deepdale, where relegation-fighting Oxford managed a much-needed victory despite Milutin Osmajic finding the net for the hosts.

Collecting a mere two points from their past five contests, Paul Heckingbottom's men have dropped to 13th spot in the Championship table, eight points behind sixth-placed Wrexham, who have crucially played a match fewer due to their involvement in the FA Cup fifth round.

In order to keep any realistic hopes of a playoff push alive, Preston need to do what they have failed to do since January 4 and win on the road this week, with the Lilywhites winless across their last four away trips (D2 L2).

The Lancashire club boast a surprisingly-good record in away matches against Coventry, with Preston losing just one of their last seven games (W4 D2) at the base of the Sky Blues dating back to January 2013.

Coventry City Championship form:

D W W W W W

Preston North End Championship form:

W D L D L L

Team News

Picking up a red card just 43 minutes into the Bristol City win, Coventry defender Joel Latibeaudiere is suspended for Wednesday's clash in the East Midlands.

As a result, the Sky Blues need a new partner for Luke Woolfenden at centre-back, with Liam Kitching likely to step into the XI.

The hosts' options in defensive areas are limited further by the absences of shot-stopper Oliver Dovin (knee) and full-back Miguel Brau (muscle).

A top performer in between the sticks for Preston, goalkeeper Daniel Iversen is currently sidelined because of a groin problem.

Hooked at the half-time break during the shocking home loss to Oxford, Callum Lang is unlikely to start for the Lilywhites at the CBS Arena.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Kitching, Woolfenden, Dasilva; Torp, Grimes, Sakamoto, Eccles, Mason-Clark; Wright

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Cornell; Offiah, Gibson, Hughes; Storey, Whiteman, Thompson, Devine; Jebbison, Dobbin, Osmajic

We say: Coventry City 2-0 Preston North End

Losing just one of their 17 Championship home matches so far in 2025-26, league leaders Coventry are the clear favourites for success on Wednesday night.

Preston's campaign is in the process of petering out after a string of poor results, with another disappointing match highly probable in the East Midlands.

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