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

Fulham play host to Coventry City on Sunday afternoon knowing that they mathematically require just two victories to win the Championship title.

At a time when the Cottagers hold a 17-point advantage over third position in the standings, Coventry have recently dropped down to 12th spot after a four-game winless streak.

Match preview

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Given their position at the top of the standings, Fulham boss Marco Silva would have probably taken a point at Middlesbrough in midweek, particularly when the game remained goalless heading into the closing stages.

That was until Aleksandar Mitrovic popped up with a tremendous header with 17 minutes remaining, netting his 38th league goal and ensuring that Harry Wilson registered his 14th assist.

Some of the individual statistics from his Fulham squad this season will live long in the record books, but Silva will remain fully focused on achieving promotion as soon as possible.

All things considered, that should occur over the coming games, the West Londoners facing Coventry, Derby County and Preston North End when their rivals cannot afford to drop any more points.

As well as 17 more points being required from seven games to reach triple figures, Fulham are just seven goals short of making it to 100 strikes for the campaign.

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From Coventry's perspective, they are almost at the point of no return where promotion is concerned, the Sky Blues now eight points adrift of the playoffs with six games remaining.

Mark Robins will acknowledge that a surprise promotion is realistically out of the question, but that will not stop the Coventry boss from wanting to end an otherwise solid campaign on a high.

Winning just one game in eight attempts has been disappointing, and that return would have been worse had Coventry not netted a last-gasp equaliser at home to Blackburn Rovers last weekend.

Nine matches have passed by without the West Midlands outfit keeping a clean sheet, not the kind of form that you want ahead of playing a team who have scored 31 more goals than anyone else in the division.

Team News

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While Fulham will hope to have Neco Williams and Tom Cairney available again, Silva may be prepared to stick with the majority of the side which edged out Boro.

Antonee Robinson could return at left-back in place of Joe Bryan, while Jean Michael Seri will be considered for a start ahead of Nathaniel Chalobah.

With Matt Godden likely missing out for Coventry for the second time this week, Robins may insist on playing Viktor Gyokeres as a lone frontman.

However, Martyn Waghorn could be drafted in to partner the club's top goalscorer, with Ian Maatsen another potential inclusion at left wing-back or in a creative role.

Defensive duo Kyle McFadzean and Jake Clarke-Salter are both expected to play no part due to injury.

Fulham possible starting lineup:

Rodak; Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Seri; Wilson, Carvalho, Decordova-Reid; Mitrovic

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Moore; Hyam, Rose, Bidwell; Kane, Hamer, Allen, Dabo; O'Hare, Maatsen; Gyokeres

We say: Fulham 3-0 Coventry City

Coventry would ordinarily be content with trying to claim a share of the spoils at Craven Cottage, but such is their situation that they must push for a maximum return. However, that will only play into Fulham's favour, and we expect the home side to cruise to all three points.