Preview: West Bromwich Albion vs Coventry City - prediction, team news, lineups

Still searching for their maiden victory since the January sacking of Ryan Mason, West Bromwich Albion welcome promotion-chasing Coventry City to The Hawthorns in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Baggies were routinely knocked out of the FA Cup at Norwich City last time out, whereas the Sky Blues enjoyed a significant second-tier success earlier this week.

Match preview

Since the arrival of Welshman Eric Ramsay into the managerial hotseat on January 16, West Bromwich Albion have become a certified relegation contender, enduring a six-game winless run (D3 L3) in the Championship.

Any potential distractions from an awful league campaign were eliminated alongside the Baggies last Saturday afternoon, when a Josh Maja goal could not prevent Norwich from advancing into the fifth round of the FA Cup at Carrow Road.

Winless across seven competitive matches under the pragmatic rule of Ramsay, Albion have dropped down to 21st position in the Championship standings, spared of a bottom-three spot after 32 games courtesy of a Leicester City points deduction.

Losing just four of 15 second-tier contests at The Hawthorns this term, West Brom have been defeated in the same amount of home games as third-placed Millwall, with all five of the Baggies' victories since the beginning of October arriving at their Black Country base.

Looking to sign players suitable for the methods of struggling boss Ramsay, West Brom recruited wing-back Daniel Imray from Crystal Palace on loan over the winter, although the youngster is already on the verge of losing his spot in the XI to Alfie Gilchrist.

© Imago

After free-falling towards the chasing pack in the Championship promotion picture at the start of 2026, Coventry City landed a major punch in the top-two fight on Monday night, when a first Haji Wright hat-trick since March 2025 downed second-placed Middlesbrough.

A lethal trio of strikes from the United States international ended a three-game winless run (D1 L2) in the second tier for Frank Lampard's troops, who are on course for Premier League promotion for the first time in over two decades.

Picking up their 18th victory of the 2025-26 campaign earlier in the week at the expense of Boro, the Sky Blues have regained control at the summit of the Championship rankings, crucially lying six points clear of a plucky Millwall outfit in third.

Coventry would be scraping away for a spot in the playoffs if the division was decided purely on away form, with the East Midlanders winless in their past eight outings (D3 L5) across league and FA Cup duties.

Following his three-match ban for violent conduct during the loss at Norwich in late January, Brandon Thomas-Asante is available to face his former employers this weekend, with the 10-goal striker becoming a fans' favourites during his time at The Hawthorns between 2022 and 2024.

West Bromwich Albion Championship form: L L D L D D

West Bromwich Albion form (all competitions): L D L D D L

Coventry City Championship form: W W L L D W

Team News

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Weakening the right side of West Brom's fragile backline, George Campbell is sidelined until March because of a hamstring injury.

A member of the Baggies' most recent Premier League squad in 2020-21, Karlan Grant is occupying a bed in the medical room owing to a hamstring issue.

Centre-back Chris Mepham completes the hamstrung trio for the hosts, who are relying on left-back Charlie Taylor to fulfil a central role in defence alongside Nat Phillips.

Coventry's injury list is shortening as the business end of the campaign approaches, although goalkeeper Oliver Dovin is continuing his recovery from a serious knee injury.

Recruited in January to provide top-flight quality for a Premier League-chasing outfit, Frank Onyeka is set to start his second Sky Blues match this weekend.

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Gilchrist, Phillips, Taylor, Styles; Johnston, Molumby, Mowatt, Jimoh-Aloba, Price; Heggebo 

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Latibeaudiere, Dasilva; Onyeka, Grimes, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright

We say: West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Coventry City

After back-to-back away matches, West Brom now face a pair of crucial home fixtures in the space of four days at The Hawthorns.

Buoyed by their battering of Boro last time out, Coventry are primed to enjoy successive wins for the first time since January 20.

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