Coventry vs West Brom Prediction: Baggies’ away blues to continue

Another massive game on Good Friday comes our way from the CBS Arena as Coventry City host West Bromwich Albion (15:00, Sky Sports+). The Sky Blues currently hold onto that precious sixth spot, but they are just three points clear of West Brom in seventh, making this clash a vital one with just four games to go. 

Below you can find my Coventry vs West Brom predictions, as we look to make this Friday a very ‘good’ one indeed. 

Football Odds

Team News

Coventry’s injury crisis seems to be lurching from bad to worse. Victor Torp was ruled out for the season with ankle ligament damage, and Ephron Mason-Clark and Bobby Thomas missed the trip to Hull. EMC has a recurring toe problem while Thomas has a calf problem - with both players likely to be sidelined for both Easter weekend fixtures. 

They join Josh Eccles, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Oliver Dovin on the sidelines, with the latter a major miss in goal. Brad Collins will deputise again between the sticks, while Joel Latibeaudiere played alongside Liam Kitching at centre-back in the 1-1 draw at the MKM stadium. 

I can’t envisage there being many changes to that XI, with Matt Grimes, Jack Rudoni and the returning captain Ben Sheaf working well as the midfield trio. Haji Wright may be shifted to the left once again as Ellis Simms takes the number nine role, although Jamie Paterson offers a more natural option on the left flank. 

For West Brom, it will be interesting to see if Will Lankshear retains his starting spot up front after he led the line v Watford. Torbjorn Hegem returned to the defence and should start alongside Kyle Bartley, while out wide Tom Fellows and Mikey Johnston will play having registered goal contributions against the Hornets. 

Tammer Bany and Ousmane Diakite both missed out through injury against Watford and could still be sidelined. Adam Armstrong may have to settle for a spot on the bench against a team he scored 20 league goals for as an 18-year-old earlier in his career.

Coventry vs West Brom Odds

Coventry are priced at 5/4 to win this one while WBA are 11/5 to take an away win, having beaten Cov in their last four meetings. The Sky Blues therefore have an implied win probability of 45%, and a draw is 12/5. 

Over 2.5 goals has come in during 55% of Coventry’s matches and is available at 10/11, while BTTS is 8/11. Wright is the favourite to open the scoring at 5/1 having scored four goals in his last two home appearances. 

Coventry to win and BTTS @ 13/2 

West Brom haven’t won away from home in the Championship for the last 13 matches. That stinky away record could be the reason they fail to break into the top six this season, and this is another tough test away at a Coventry outfit that have won seven out of their last nine at home. 

The only defeats handed to them during that run have been against Leeds United and Burnley, the best two teams in the division, while the CBS Arena has clearly been a massive plus for Frank Lampard and his team. This one is going to be played out in front of a sold-out crowd, and it could be the highest-ever attendance for a league game at the stadium, so it’s now up to the Sky Blues to perform. 

They’ve got a strong home record and West Brom have a dreadful away record, so let’s back Cov to come out on top - although I will back the Baggies to score. With Dovin and Thomas out for the hosts WBA should be able to find the net, as they have done in five of their last six away fixtures. 

Jack Rudoni to score anytime @ 7/2 

The main man for Coventry at this moment, and this season, has been the former Huddersfield Town man, Rudoni. Lampard has pushed him into the number 10 role and he is flourishing, with 18 goal contributions across the campaign. He’s scored three goals in his last six appearances and was flying before his shoulder dislocation - however now he is back in the team and looking fit once again. 

He should be able to cause problems for a West Brom defence that hasn’t kept a clean sheet in the last six fixtures. Rudoni’s a big price to find the net at anytime, and his late runs into the box are almost Lampard-esque. Hopefully he can score again for his manager on Friday. 

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