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

Aiming to record back-to-back wins following a handsome success on the weekend, Coventry City will welcome Derby County to the Coventry Building Society Arena for a Midlands battle in the Championship on Wednesday night.

The Sky Blues managed a comfortable victory at the home of Middlesbrough last time out, whilst the Rams collected nothing from their trip to Stoke City.

Match preview

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After a worrying run of one win in nine matches across the Championship and EFL Cup, Coventry City have found a little patch of form as the season approaches the November international break, with Wednesday's hosts winning back-to-back matches against Luton Town and Middlesbrough in the second tier.

A trip to Teesside was on the agenda for the Sky Blues on Saturday afternoon, when the 22nd-minute dismissal of Boro midfielder Hayden Hackney shaped the course of the contest, with goals from Bobby Thomas, Haji Wright and Josh Eccles defeating Michael Carrick's 10-man troops.

Following the collection of six points from their last two second-tier matches, Coventry have moved themselves up to 13th position in the Championship standings, three points ahead of Plymouth Argyle in the highest of the relegation spots and six points behind sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion.

Winning three and losing three of their six Championship contests at the CBS Arena so far, it has been all-or-nothing for Mark Robins's troops in front of their Midlands faithful during 2024-25, with respectable wins over Blackburn Rovers and Luton sandwiching a defeat at the hands of strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.

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Following their promotion back to the Championship at the second attempt during the 2023-24 season, Derby County are currently experiencing their longest winless run of the campaign, with Wednesday's visitors without maximum points in four matches after defeat in the Potteries on Saturday afternoon.

A second-half own goal from Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson restored parity in the contest for the Rams following Tom Cannon's first-half penalty, but the Potters managed to secure all three points at the bet365 Stadium courtesy of a 82nd-minute effort from centre-back Ben Gibson.

Last enjoying the highs of victory on October 5 at Pride Park versus relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers, Derby have dropped down to 14th in the Championship table ahead of Wednesday's trip across the Midlands to Coventry, three points above Wayne Rooney's Plymouth in 22nd.

Travelling supporters at the CBS Arena will not be expecting much from Paul Warne's side considering that they have failed to win any of their seven Championship outings so far this season, with the collection of two points across those fixtures meaning that the Rams possess the second-worst away record in the division.

Team News

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Providing an assist off the bench at the Riverside Stadium, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto will be targeting a promotion to the starting XI on Wednesday night for Coventry.

That being said, Robins is unlikely to make many changes after such an impressive display on Teesside, meaning that Brandon Thomas-Asante and Wright should retain their spots up front.

The hosts remain without the services of Jake Bidwell (knee) and Jamie Allen (leg), limiting their options at left-back and in midfield respectively.

Injured during the opening weeks of the term, Derby's David Ozoh remains on the sidelines due to a troubling hamstring problem.

The Rams are short on options at right-back owing to the knee injury of former Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nyambe, who has not featured for over a fortnight.

Coventry City possible starting lineup: Dovin; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Binks; Van Ewijk, Eccles, Sheaf, Rudoni, Torp; Thomas-Asante, Wright

Derby County possible starting lineup: Zetterstrom; Elder, Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth; Goudmijn, Adams, Osborn; Jackson, Mendez-Laing, Yates

We say: Coventry City 2-1 Derby County

After a handsome victory in the North-East on the weekend, Coventry should be confident of putting newly-promoted Derby to the sword at the CBS Arena.

The Rams struggle massively away from their Pride Park fortress, and we cannot envisage the visitors earning anything from this Midlands derby on Wednesday night.

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