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

At a time when Rovers occupy second spot in the standings, Coventry sit in the relegation after their four-game unbeaten run came to an end at the weekend.

Match preview

Like with the majority of the Championship, Blackburn have been inconsistent this campaign, losing seven of their opening 18 matches in the second tier.

Nevertheless, with no draws to their name, Rovers now have 11 victories under their belt, enough to leave Jon Dahl Tomasson's side in second position in the table.

Blackburn have a seven-point cushion over seventh place, leaving them on target for the playoffs, yet the Dane and his squad will be dreaming bigger having recorded their fourth successive win with success at Hull City at the weekend.

Sammie Szmodics got the only goal of the game, his third since joining from Peterborough United in the summer, yet Tomasson will take greater satisfaction from his team's third clean sheet in six outings.

Providing that Ben Brereton Diaz stays fit, goals at the other end should not be a problem, and there is little reason why Blackburn should not continue to churn out results in the short and long term.

From Coventry's perspective, they would have had high hopes of extending their own good run of form ahead of a home encounter with Blackpool on Saturday afternoon.

However, a sickness bug led to unwanted changes to the starting lineup having to be made, and the Sky Blues ultimately went down by a 2-1 scoreline, making it five dropped points on familiar territory in the same week after their previous 2-2 draw with Rotherham United.

With two matches still in hand on the majority of the clubs above them, Mark Robins will not be overly concerned in the long term, but Coventry need to take advantage of those fixtures if they are to move swiftly away from the bottom three.

As well as Blackburn, games with Watford and Queens Park Rangers are also on the horizon, putting Coventry under pressure to rediscover the kind of defensive resoluteness which recently led to one goal being conceded in six games.

Coventry City Championship form:

L

W

W

W

D

L

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

W

L

W

W

W

W

Team News

Michael Rose and Viktor Gyokeres will both hope to feature in the Coventry XI after a sickness bug led to their withdrawal from the starting lineup at the weekend.

Should they be deemed fit, Callum Doyle and Jamie Allen may drop out of the side, with Kasey Palmer and Callum O'Hare in line to support Gyokeres in the final third if he plays.

Todd Kane is expected to continue at right wing-back in place of the injured Fankaty Dabo.

Barring any fitness issues, Tomasson may be prepared to stick with the Blackburn side which started the hard-earned win at Hull.

The Dane had made four substitutions by the 71st-minute mark, but each of the players withdrawn are likely to retain their spots in the team.

Given the quick turnaround, midfielder Ryan Hedges is unlikely to come back into contention after the injury that he picked up against Birmingham City earlier this month.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Wilson; Rose, McFadzean, Panzo; Kane, Hamer, Sheaf, Bidwell; O'Hare, Palmer; Gyokeres

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Travis, Hyam, S.Wharton, Pickering; Morton, A.Wharton; Dolan, Szmodics, Brereton Diaz; Gallagher

We say: Coventry City 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

Despite the contrasting league positions, it would be naive to reach the conclusion that Coventry will not push Blackburn all the way in this contest. Nevertheless, despite the Sky Blues having the potential to get back to winning ways, we can only back Blackburn to come through in a closely-fought match.

Previews by email