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

Meanwhile, the visitors are in the worst form of the entire division, now sitting in 23rd spot after letting slip a two-goal lead at Swansea City at the weekend.

Match preview

Whether it is the condition of their pitch or the issues surrounding the ownership of their ground, Coventry have spent this campaign heavily distracted or playing catch-up, yet they have somehow managed to respond positively on each occasion.

Given their sheer amount of games in hand, the Sky Blues have barely moved outside of the relegation zone, but a run of just two defeats in 12 matches have left Mark Robins's side now out of trouble.

Six victories during that period have helped Coventry up to 15th position, their latest success coming on the road as they collected a 1-0 triumph at Watford.

Although Coventry remain one of the worst-performing teams in attack, their clean sheet at Vicarage Road was their eighth in 12 games, and the foundations have been laid for a promotion push.

As it stands, Coventry are still just three points above the drop zone and eight adrift of the playoffs, but success on Tuesday night would catapult them further up the standings.

From Wigan's perspective, there will be mixed feelings after they made the long trip to Swansea and returned with a 2-2 draw.

On one hand, it is a point gained on the back of five successive defeats, but the Latics were 2-0 ahead after 16 minutes and conceded the equaliser with six minutes remaining.

While a share of the spoils keeps Leam Richardson's team in a position where they can move level on points with their 15th-placed opponents on Tuesday, there will also be an awareness that defeat could result in them starting to become cut adrift in the bottom three.

Despite having failed to prevail in any of their most recent four away games, Wigan still possess the sixth-best away record in the division.

Coventry City Championship form:

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D

L

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W

Wigan Athletic Championship form:

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D

Team News

While Robins may opt to select an unchanged team from the Coventry XI that started against Watford, the Sky Blues boss does have alternatives available to him.

Jake Bidwell may replace Jack Burroughs, who impressed on his first Championship start at left wing-back, while Callum O'Hare and Tyler Walker are in contention in the final third.

Fankaty Dabo, Matty Godden and Martyn Waghorn will all remain sidelined through injury.

Richardson may freshen up his Wigan XI with Graeme Shinnie and Callum Lang both pushing for recalls in midfield and attack.

Jason Kerr needed to be withdrawn during the final stages at Swansea and could be replaced by Joe Bennett in the back three.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Wilson; Rose, McFadzean, Panzo; Eccles, Sheaf, Hamer, Burroughs; Allen, Palmer; Gyokeres

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Jones; Tilt, Whatmough, Bennett; Darikwa, Power, Naylor, McClean; Broadhead, Keane, Lang

We say: Coventry City 2-1 Wigan Athletic

Given their form on the road this season, Wigan will remain confident of securing a positive result against the Sky Blues. Nevertheless, Coventry are developing into a team capable of gatecrashing the promotion race, leading us to predict a narrow win for the home side.

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