Preview: Leeds United vs. Coventry City - prediction, team news, lineups

The Whites were not at their best at the Stadium of Light and were defeated by Sunderland last time out, while the Sky Blues shared the spoils with recently-relegated Southampton on Wednesday.

Match preview

Leeds United's seven-game unbeaten run in the Championship came to an abrupt end at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night, when a late Jobe Bellingham goal sealed back-to-back home wins for Sunderland under the leadership of interim head coach Mike Dodds, who is in situ while the Black Cats find a permanent successor to Tony Mowbray.

Daniel Farke's men dominated the ball in the North-East but were uncharacteristically wasteful in the final third, failing to find the net in a second-tier contest for only the third time this season, and the first since the 1-0 defeat away against Alex Neil's Stoke City on October 25.

Wins for Enzo Maresca's Leicester City and Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town during the week mean that Leeds have slipped to 10 points behind the automatic promotion spots heading into the bulk of the festive schedule, with the Foxes and the Tractor Boys both passing the 50-point mark in record-breaking time.

The unrelenting pace of this season's pursuit of Premier League football will provide a suitable challenge for a formidable forward line at Elland Road, with Daniel James, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and summer arrival Joel Piroe having already racked up 47 goal contributions combined in the Championship.

Leeds are the only side in the division who still have their unbeaten home status intact, winning seven and drawing three of their opening 10 league fixtures at their Yorkshire base, including the 3-0 mauling of Watford in September and the 4-1 battering of Darren Moore's Huddersfield Town last month.

After a start to the campaign which saw them win one of their first eight matches, Coventry City continued their steady rise towards the top six with a 1-1 draw against Russell Martin's Southampton on Wednesday, with Haji Wright's sixth goal of the season giving the hosts the lead before Samuel Edozie equalised for the visitors.

Unsurprisingly, it was playmaker Callum O'Hare who provided the assist for the American's strike, with the former Aston Villa man making a productive start to life back in the Sky Blues side following a serious injury, also scoring a brace in the contest with Birmingham City on December 8.

The West Midlands club currently occupy 14th position in the Championship standings after collecting 26 points from their opening 21 matches, meaning Mark Robins's men are sat seven points behind sixth-placed Sunderland and six ahead of Marti Cifuentes's Queens Park Rangers in 22nd.

Coventry's record on the road this campaign has left plenty to be desired, with the Sky Blues managing just two wins in 10 matches away from the Coventry Building Society Arena, however the recent 3-0 demolition of Millwall at The Den will provide some confidence ahead of a daunting trip to Elland Road.

The last meeting between Coventry and Leeds was on Valentine's Day in 2012, when a pair of Gary McSheffrey penalties were enough to overshadow Ross McCormack's strike at the Ricoh Arena for the visiting Whites, who were under the stewardship of Simon Grayson.

Leeds United Championship form:

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Coventry City Championship form:

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Team News

After drawing a blank at Sunderland, Leeds boss Farke might be tempted to rotate his attacking options this weekend, meaning Patrick Bamford and Wilfried Gnonto could earn rare starts.

The Whites remain without the services of full-back Junior Firpo until late December due to a hamstring injury, so Djed Spence could continue on the left side of the hosts' backline.

Stuart Dallas is another defensive option who is currently on the sidelines, with the Northern Ireland international targeting a return in the New Year following a broken hip.

After solid home displays against Birmingham and Southampton since the turn of the month, Coventry should name the same back four of Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching and Jake Bidwell.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto is beginning to hit his stride in the Championship following his summer arrival from Belgium, and the Japanese attacker should retain his spot in the Sky Blues attack alongside O'Hare, Ellis Simms and Wright.

Matt Godden returned to the matchday squad in midweek after missing the Birmingham clash due to family commitments, but the six-goal striker now faces a battle to regain his place in the starting XI.

Leeds United possible starting lineup:

Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Struijk, Spence; Ampadu, Kamara, James, Piroe, Summerville; Rutter

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Collins; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Allen, Sheaf, O'Hare; Sakamoto, Wright, Simms

We say: Leeds United 3-1 Coventry City

After being kept at bay by Sunderland last time out, we are expecting Leeds to come out firing and hit a couple of goals past Bradley Collins in the Coventry net.

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