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

Two Championship new boys face each other at the weekend as Wycombe Wanderers host Coventry City in what could be a hugely important encounter for both sides' survival hopes.

They come into this clash in deeply contrasting form, with Mark Robins's side unbeaten in their last six outings while Gareth Ainsworth's men are winless in seven.

Match preview

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Wycombe captured everyone's attention in 2019-20 when they pulled off a remarkable feat in achieving promotion to England's second tier.

They got off to a tricky start to life in the Championship losing their opening seven league matches, but a draw against newly relegated Watford gave them hope and started a three-game unbeaten run that has given them a chance of staying up and defying the odds once more.

The Chairboys have found it difficult at both ends of the pitch so far in the current campaign. Their 10 league goals mean they are the joint-third lowest scorers in the division, while their 25 goals conceded means they have leaked the joint-second highest number of goals.

Although they come into this one on the back of a seven-game winless streak, which has left them in the relegation places, four of those matches have ended in a draw.

If the likes of Adebayo Akinfenwa and Uche Ikpeazu can start finding the back of the net on a regular basis Wycombe could yet claw their way to safety.

Coventry won the League One crown last season as they returned to the Championship for the first time in eight years.

They have adjusted to life in the higher division better than Wycombe, picking up seven more points and double the number of wins as their fellow promoted side coming into this one.

What will concern Robins though is his team's defensive record - they have the worst defence in the league, having let in 26 efforts in just 17 matches, and are the only team to have conceded more goals than Ainsworth's side.

The Sky Blues did the double over Wycombe last season on their way to the third tier title and will be hopeful of putting in another convincing display against them, widening the gap between themselves and the drop zone.

Wycombe Wanderers Championship form:DDDLDL

Coventry City Championship form: DWDDWD

Team News

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Ainsworth will be unable to call upon defensive duo Anthony Stewart - who remains out with a long-term knee injury - and Ryan Tafazolli.

The Wanderers will also have to battle on without summer signing Ikpeazu, whose ankle issue prevents him from making his first start since joining from Hearts in the summer.

Midfielder Curtis Thompson is not expected to have recovered in time following an injury picked up in the 1-1 draw with Derby last month.

Coventry winger Jodi Jones suffered a third ACL injury in three years at the start of the season and remains on the treatment table.

He is joined by Slovakian goalkeeper Marko Marosi and striker Matt Godden on the sidelines.

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup: Allsop; McCarthy, Knight, Grimmer, Jacobson; McCleary, Horgan, Gape, Wheeler; Akinfenwa, Kashket

Coventry City possible starting lineup: Wilson; Ostigard, McFadzean, Hyam, Dabo; Hamer, Kelly, McCallum, O'Hare; Walker, Biamou

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Coventry City

Wycombe give a good account of themselves in almost every fixture, and Saturday's clash will be far from easy for a Coventry side full of confidence.

Both sides are vulnerable at the back, and that factor could lead to a stalemate in this one.

Top betting tip