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

Both taking a much-needed break from promotion-chasing matters in the Championship, Stoke City and Coventry City clash in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The Potters welcome the second-tier pacesetters to the bet365 Stadium following consecutive away wins to conclude the hectic festive period.

Match preview

After over seven years of mid-table mediocrity following relegation from the top flight in 2018, Stoke City are fighting for a return to the Premier League this season and provided their hopes with a major boost at the beginning of January.

The Potters passed two tricky-looking away assignments with passing colours recently, securing clean-sheet successes over both Hull City and Norwich City, collecting back-to-back wins for the first time since early November.

Flawless in their 2026 schedule to date, Mark Robins's side have moved up to eighth spot in the Championship rankings ahead of this weekend's FA Cup-shaped break, just a single point behind the playoff positions.

Ending a four-match goalless drought with a strike at Carrow Road last weekend, Sorba Thomas is the leading light for the Potters in attack, with the Wales international topping both his side's goals and assists charts.

Apart from a final appearance at Wembley Stadium in 2011, Stoke City's history in the FA Cup is relatively modest for a club of its historical stature, with the Staffordshire outfit knocked out by Cardiff City in the fourth round last term.

For only the second time this season, Premier League-hunting Coventry City have gone three matches without triumph in the Championship, with the Midlands outfit suffering a derby day defeat last time out in the second tier.

Despite strikes either side of the half-time whistle from Josh Eccles and Ellis Simms, the Sky Blues were unable to claim anything from a trip to Birmingham City, who won 3-2 in the Second City courtesy of goals from Marvin Ducksch (2) and Lewis Koumas.

Having won just one of their last five matches in the second tier, Frank Lampard's side are only eight points above third-placed Ipswich Town in the Championship table, while possessing a six-point buffer on Middlesbrough in second.

Coventry have struggled on the road in recent weeks - drawing three and losing one of their past four outings in the league - but they already have positive memories of the bet365 Stadium this term, with Ephron Mason-Clark netting to secure a November success at Stoke in November.

The Sky Blues under the tutelage of Robins were the standout story of the 2023-24 FA Cup campaign, in which they romped to the semi-finals at the national stadium before being knocked out controversially by eventual winners Manchester United.

Stoke City all competitions form:

W L D L W W

Coventry City all competitions form:

W D W L D L

Team News

Reaching the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with Cameroon, Stoke's Junior Tchamadeu is away preparing for a clash with tournament favourites Morocco.

The Potters suffered another defensive blow earlier in the month, with Ben Gibson picking up a knock at the MKM Stadium versus Hull.

Finding the net during the win over the Tigers on New Year's Day, striker Robert Bozenik is now sidelined with a dislocated shoulder.

Last kicking a competitive ball for Coventry on November 25, Brandon Thomas-Asante continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.

The Sky Blues remain without the services of Kaine Kesler-Hayden (ankle), Oliver Dovin (knee) and potentially Victor Torp.

Lampard's side have bolstered their attacking ranks this week, with youngsters Romain Esse and Yang Min-hyeok joining from Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.

Stoke City possible starting lineup:

Bonham; Dixon, Griffin, Wilmot, Lawal; Seko, Nzonzi; Manhoef, Bae, Thomas; Gallagher

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Wilson; Latibeaudiere, Perry, Woolfenden, Bidwell; Andrews, Grimes, Wright, Eccles, Yang; Simms