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

At a time when Wolves occupy ninth position in the Premier League standings, the Sky Blues sit in eighth place in the Championship table.

Match preview

While Gary O'Neil gratefully accepts all of the praise that comes his way for the job that he is doing at Wolves, he is equally aware that the situation could change if his team do not deliver on their potential.

Hopes are increasing of a surprise appearance in Europe, a consequence of four victories being posted from six games in the Premier League to keep the club within two points of seventh-placed West Ham United.

Their latest success against Fulham came at a cost, though, as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Pedro Neto joined other key attacking players on the injury list, it yet to be seen how Wolves will negotiate that double blow.

Wolves have enjoyed a welcome break from action since last Saturday to prepare for arguably their biggest game of the season having already come through three testing ties to reach the last eight of the FA Cup.

Brentford, via a replay, and West Bromwich Albion were defeated before Wolves battled their way to a 1-0 success over Brighton & Hove Albion in the previous round.

In sharp contrast, Coventry have had - on paper, at least - a far more comfortable passage through to the quarter-finals, overcoming Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday and Maidstone United.

Facing opponents from the National League South was ideal for a Coventry side that are desperate to return to Wembley, the location of their agonising Championship playoff final defeat on penalties to Luton Town in May.

Mark Robins will not be overly happy with the form of his team in recent weeks with defeats to Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion coming either side of the 5-0 victory over Maidstone.

Since then, though, the Sky Blues have thrashed Rotherham United - also by a 5-0 scoreline - and battled their way to a 2-1 success at Watford last time out.

Ten points being accumulated from their last six games has been enough to keep Coventry just one point adrift of the playoffs, yet their current focus is on trying to deliver their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987, the year that they last won the trophy.

Wolverhampton Wanderers FA Cup form:

D

W

W

W

Wolverhampton Wanderers form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

L

W

Coventry City FA Cup form:

W

D

W

W

Coventry City form (all competitions):

W

L

W

L

W

W

Team News

Although Hwang Hee-Chan will be sidelined alongside Bellegarde and Neto for this game, Matheus Cunha may be fit enough to take his place on the Wolves substitutes' bench, albeit that still remaining unlikely.

Tommy Doyle could be brought into the team to partner Joao Gomes, with O'Neil potentially using Mario Lemina further forward to support Pablo Sarabia and Nathan Fraser.

Craig Dawson should return from a groin issue to take his place in the back three, likely leading to Santiago Bueno to drop out of the side.

Coventry were dealt a blow last week when Victor Torp suffered a hamstring injury, and it should lead to Ben Sheaf coming back into the team as a straight replacement.

With Jamie Allen and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto the only other injury issues, Robins could stick with the rest of the side that started at Watford, with Haji Wright and Ellis Simms in attack.

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Sa; Kilman, Dawson, Toti; Semedo, Gomes, Doyle, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Sarabia; Fraser

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Collins; Thomas, Latibeaudiere, Kitching; Eccles, Kelly, Sheaf, Bidwell; Palmer; Wright, Simms

We say: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Coventry City

Given Wolves' injury issues in attack, this has all the makings of being an extremely competitive tie. Coventry will back themselves to cause a shock at Molineux, yet we feel that Wolves will be able to grind out a narrow victory over the Sky Blues.

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