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

The Championship top two will lock horns on Tuesday evening when Middlesbrough welcome Coventry City to the Riverside Stadium.

Coventry are leading the way at the top of the Championship, while Boro are seven points adrift in second position.

Match preview

Middlesbrough boast a three-point advantage over third-placed Stoke City after winning eight, drawing six and losing two of their 16 league matches this season.

Despite being a promotion contender, Boro have experienced a tumultuous period following Rob Edwards’s decision to take over the reins at Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After being left without a permanent manager, Boro have entrusted Adi Viveash to take caretaker charge for the club’s last two matches.

Viveash oversaw a 2-1 home win over Birmingham City prior to the international break, before his side played out a draw in Saturday’s away meeting with Oxford United after Morgan Whittaker cancelled out Luke Harris’s opener.

Kim Hellberg has since been appointed as Edwards’s permanent successor, but Viveash will remain in charge of Tuesday’s top-of-the-table clash, with the hosts looking to maintain their unbeaten home league record (W5, D2).

Boro will hope that home advantage can make a key difference, having failed to win any of their last eight meetings with Coventry since they recorded a 1-0 success in January 2022.

Coventry have laid the foundation to play Premier League football for the first time since 2000-01, having racked up 37 points from their 16 Championship matches this season.

The Sky Blues are comfortably the league’s highest scorers with 43 goals to their name, while they also boast the division’s third-best defensive record with 15 goals conceded.

However, Frank Lampard’s side struggled defensively in Saturday’s comeback win against West Bromwich Albion, conceding two Aune Heggebo efforts before Josh Eccles reduced the arrears before the break.

Coventry were given a boost when Jayson Molumby was sent off in the opening stages of the second period, before Ellis Simms and Victor Torp grabbed a goal apiece to make full use of the numerical advantage.

The 3-2 scoreline maintained Coventry’s unbeaten home record in the Championship, while it also represented their ninth win in the last 10 matches (L1).

Having won their previous three games, the Sky Blues will be confident of claiming a fourth consecutive victory, considering that they have won each of their last five matches against Middlesbrough, including a 2-0 success in their most recent meeting in May.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

W D L D W D

Coventry City Championship form:

W W L W W W

Team News

Middlesbrough remain without the services of George Edmundson, Darragh Lenihan and Abdoulaye Kante.

There are also concerns over the fitness of Dael Fry, Sverre Nypan and David Strelec after the trio sat out the draw with Oxford.

Left-back Matt Targett is unlikely to feature after being forced off at half time of Saturday's contest due to a calf issue.

As for the visitors, forward Haji Wright will miss a second consecutive game after picking up a muscle injury while on international duty with the USA.

Goalkeeper Oliver Dovin remains on the sidelines, while Luke Woolfenden will be looking to shake off the illness that kept him out of the win over West Brom.

Brandon Thomas-Asante had to settle for a substitute appearance on Saturday after travelling a long distance back from international duty, but the Championship's joint top scorer should come back into the lineup for the upcoming away trip.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Jones, Silvera; Hackney, Morris; Whittaker, Browne, Burgzorg; Conway

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Torp, Grimes; Sakamoto, Thomas-Asante, Mason-Clark; Simms

We say: Middlesbrough 1-1 Coventry City

Having won four of their last five away matches, Coventry will be eyeing another victory in Tuesday's top-of-the-table clash, but we think that the league leaders will be held to a draw by a Middlesbrough side that are yet to lose a Championship game at the Riverside this season.

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