Both looking to secure a spot in the top-six picture by the end of the afternoon, Coventry City and Middlesbrough lock horns at the CBS Arena on Saturday in the Championship.
The Sky Blues are in one of the pole positions heading into the final match despite struggles on the road of late, whilst Boro need results to go their way elsewhere if they are to sneak into the playoffs.
Match preview
Snatching the reins in November of a sorry Sky Blues – who were sitting down in 17th position in the second-tier rankings – Frank Lampard has taken his new employers to former heights during the 2024-25 campaign, with Coventry City in control of their own playoff destiny heading into the final day.
That being said, the East Midlands outfit are not in the greatest form ahead of this weekend’s hosting of Middlesbrough, as last term’s FA Cup semi-finalists have lost back-to-back matches on the road at struggling duo Plymouth Argyle, and most recently a resurgent Luton Town.
With the opportunity to all-but secure their spot in the post-season picture, Coventry were sucker punched by a last-minute goal for the Hatters at Kenilworth Road last weekend, when midfielder Shandon Baptiste was the beneficiary following a defensive mix-up involving goalkeeper Bradley Collins.
Despite winning just one of their most recent quartet of second-tier battles, Lampard’s troops are in sixth spot ahead of Saturday’s final match of the regular season, level on points with a plucky Millwall in seventh and a single point better off than Blackburn Rovers in eighth.
Moving away from their failures on the road in recent times, the Sky Blues are a formidable force at the CBS Arena, winning each of their last two games at the venue, with only Premier League-bound Leeds United (18) and Sheffield United (15) earning more than Coventry’s 13 home successes in the Championship this term.
After finishing four points behind the playoff pace during the 2023-24 campaign, Middlesbrough are aiming to avoid a similarly-painful fate at the conclusion of this season, with the North-East club stuttering and stumbling to the Championship finish line ahead of this weekend.
A worrying run of just one victory across their last five second-tier games has added to the feeling of frustration around the Riverside Stadium, where Boro were forced to share the spoils with Norwich City last time out, after both Mark Travers and an inspired Angus Gunn kept clean sheets.
Michael Carrick‘s men have an outside chance of sneaking into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, requiring a victory at the CBS Arena and other results to go their way in order to burst past Coventry, Millwall and Bristol City to claim a top-six placement.
Although consecutive defeats recently on their travels will be of concern to those of a Middlesbrough persuasion, Saturday’s visitors have shown the ability to produce important moments on the road this term, with Boro scoring 33 goals across 22 outings – a tally only Burnley (3) can better in away contests.
There was a significant chance that Middlesbrough’s potency in front of net could have fallen off a cliff following the February departure of top marksman Emmanuel Latte Lath to MLS side Atlanta United, however Tommy Conway and Finn Azaz are holding up the forward fort, netting a combined 25 goals in the Championship to date.
Team News
Seeing red just 13 minutes into the defeat at Luton last weekend, Coventry defender Jay Dasilva will be unable to feature at the CBS Arena this time around.
As a result, former Swansea City man Jake Bidwell should slot straight into the Sky Blues XI, with Joel Latibeaudiere and Liam Kitching operating as the centre-back pairing.
Lampard is limited in terms of options at the top end of the pitch, with Ephron Mason-Clark (foot), Norman Bassette (hip) and Victor Torp (ankle) all occupying spots in the medical room.
Middlesbrough are also missing a key option in attack ahead of Saturday’s all-important clash, with Scotland international Ben Doak recovering from a thigh problem.
Both sides are without their first-choice goalkeepers, with Coventry’s Oliver Dovin and Seny Dieng sitting on the sidelines in recent times.
Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Collins; Van Ewijk, Latibeaudiere, Kitching, Bidwell; Grimes, Sheaf, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright; Thomas-Asante
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Travers; Dijksteel, Fry, Howson, Illing-Junior; Hackney, Morris, Whittaker, Forss, Azaz; Conway
We say: Coventry City 2-1 Middlesbrough
Needing a victory to have any chance of making the playoffs, Middlesbrough will have to rediscover their attacking talents following a goalless draw last time out.
With Boro pushing for three points, Coventry should be able to take advantage of gaps in Carrick’s defence, leading to a home success at the CBS Arena and playoff football for the Sky Blues.
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