MX23RW : Saturday, April 30 03:14:22| >> :120:62260:62260:
[monks data]
Apr 18, 2022 at 3pm UK at Ricoh Arena
Coventry
0 - 3
Bournemouth
FT(HT: 0-2)
Lowe (12'), Solanke (45', 55')

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

Sports Mole previews Monday's Championship clash between Coventry City and Bournemouth, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Bournemouth will be looking to take one step closer to promotion by putting their stuttering run of form behind them when they travel to Coventry City on Monday.

The hosts have retained hope of reaching the Championship playoff places thanks to back-to-back victories though, so it is sure to be an intriguing battle at the Coventry Building Society Arena.


Match preview

Coventry City's Callum O'Hare celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on March 19, 2022© Reuters

Following a run of just one win in eight Championship outings over the past couple of months, Coventry's remarkable season looked to be petering out in the closing stages of the campaign.

However, thrilling wins over Fulham and Birmingham City in their last two games have revived their hopes of an incredible achievement of reaching the playoffs next month.

For the majority of the first half in their short trip across the West Midlands on Friday, the Sky Blues looked to be suffering from a hangover of their fantastic 3-1 triumph at league leaders Fulham five days earlier, before their never-say-die attitude under Mark Robins kicked in once again.

After falling 2-0 behind owing to some dreadful defending from set pieces, Robins' men netted a quickfire double on the stroke of half time from two dead-ball situations of their own to haul themselves back into the contest.

Ben Sheaf netted both of those goals at the end of the opening 45, and Gustavo Hamer's deliveries continued to cause problems for the Birmingham defence into the second half too, as he got his second assist when Michael Rose powered home his corner to provide his side with the lead for the first time in the contest.

The only goal of the game to arrive from open play came in the final minute of normal time, as some neat build up led to Callum O'Hare sealing the three points and a remarkable comeback win.

That victory could well prove crucial for Coventry in the final few weeks, with eight of the nine sides above them in the table dropping points on Friday, meaning they climbed a place to ninth ahead of the action on Easter Monday, with just three points separating them from the playoff places ahead of another huge game against Bournemouth.

Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke celebrates scoring their third goal on March 19, 2022© Reuters

Meanwhile, frustrations and nerves at Bournemouth continued on Good Friday, with the Cherries dropping points once again as they were held to a goalless draw against fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough.

Neither side created many goalscoring opportunities at the Vitality Stadium, so perhaps neither were deserving of all three points, although it was Scott Parker's side who came closest when Jefferson Lerma struck the bar with his headed effort.

Picking up a draw against a stubborn Boro side was hardly a setback for Bournemouth, but it continued the theme of recent weeks, where Monday's visitors have seemed to lack ideas in the final third of the pitch as they struggle to get over the line in their quest for promotion.

In fact, Friday's blank in front of goal was the third successive game that the second-placed side have failed to find the back of the net, with only two points being yielded from the last nine available.

Despite their stutters however, they remain in a commanding position to return to the Premier League thanks to the lack of consistency of the sides around them in the table.

As mentioned above, many of their promotion rivals also struggled on Friday, so the Cherries retained their four-point advantage over Huddersfield Town in third place, and with two games in hand as well, the odds remain heavily in their favour.

Parker and his side will be keen to avoid any drama in the final few weeks though, so they will be eager to silence any doubters and earn a crucial three points on Monday to edge them closer to their goal.

Coventry City Championship form:
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • L
  • W
  • W

Bournemouth Championship form:
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • D
  • D



Team News

Bournemouth manager Scott Parker before the match on April 9, 2022© Reuters

Coventry will have to make do without their valuable striker Matt Godden for the remainder of the season it appears, so much of the goalscoring burden remains on the shoulders of Viktor Gyokeres.

Jake Clarke-Salter is also a big miss in their back line, whilst the injury picked up by Fankaty Dabo on Friday leaves him doubtful for Monday's encounter.

Todd Kane would be the likely replacement for Dabo at wing-back, whilst Josh Eccles and Jordan Shipley are further doubts, with the latter missing the last two matches due to COVID-19.

As for the visitors, first-choice left-back Jordan Zemura remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, meaning right-back Adam Smith could well fill in on the left-hand side once more.

David Brooks remains unavailable for the foreseeable future, and he is joined on the list of absentees by Kieffer Moore, Morgan Rogers and Junior Stanislas.

Jaidon Anthony provided a spark off the bench against Middlesbrough, so the winger may well have earned a start in place of Todd Cantwell or Ryan Christie in attack.

Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird is expected to keep his place at right-back after earning his start for the club last time out.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Moore; Rose, Hyam, Bidwell; Kane, Allen, Sheaf, Hamer, Maatsen; O'Hare; Gyokeres

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Laird, Phillips, Kelly, Smith; Lerma, Cook; Christie, Billing, Anthony; Solanke


SM words green background

We say: Coventry City 1-1 Bournemouth

Coventry continue to show plenty of spirit and fight in their surprise push for the playoff places, and they are likely to make this a very difficult afternoon for Bournemouth on Monday.

With the visitors struggling of late, we cannot see them earning the three points once again at a difficult venue, with a draw a likely outcome in a tight encounter.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


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How you voted: Coventry vs Bournemouth

Coventry City
39.1%
Draw
25.0%
Bournemouth
35.9%
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Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring their first goal on April 6, 2022
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
2Bournemouth432213869393079
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest4322101167373076
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield4421131060461476
5Luton TownLuton4420121262481472
6Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd4520121359451472
7Middlesbrough4419101555451067
8Blackburn RoversBlackburn4418121457461166
9Millwall441715125044666
10Coventry CityCoventry441712155856263
11Queens Park RangersQPR45189185959063
12Stoke CityStoke441710175548761
13West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom441613154745261
14Swansea CitySwansea441613155762-561
15Blackpool441612165451360
16Preston North EndPreston441416144554-958
17Bristol City441410205775-1852
18Hull City44148224048-850
19Cardiff CityCardiff44147234867-1949
20Birmingham CityBirmingham441113204872-2446
21Reading44138235485-3141
RPeterborough UnitedPeterborough44810263884-4634
RDerby CountyDerby441313184352-931
RBarnsley44612263266-3430

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