Coventry vs West Brom preview: Team news, lineups, supercomputer prediction
West Brom are set to travel to Coventry City on Friday for a huge clash in the Championship playoff race.
The Baggies got their top-six push back on track via a 2-1 victory over Watford on Saturday, after previously encountering three consecutive defeats.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard’s men were held to a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Hull on Monday, as they failed to build on their victory over Portsmouth on 9 April.
With just four games left to play, West Brom have reached crunch time in their pursuit of the Championship playoff spots.
Coventry v West Brom preview
As the Championship season nears its conclusion, second-tier games do not come much bigger than Friday’s clash between Coventry and Tony Mowbray’s men.
| Championship table (4th-7th) | Games played | Goal difference | Points |
| 4 Sunderland | 42 | 19 | 76 |
| 5 Bristol City | 42 | 9 | 64 |
| 6 Coventry | 42 | 5 | 63 |
| 7 West Brom | 42 | 12 | 60 |
Lampard’s side currently occupy sixth spot and sit just three points above the Baggies, who are breathing down their necks.
If Mowbray and Co can beat Coventry on Friday, they will leapfrog the Sky Blues into the final playoff spot.
With both sides keen to compete for their spot in next season’s Premier League, Albion’s visit to the Sky Blues could prove pivotal to both side’s promotion credentials.
Coventry v West Brom team news
Semi Ajayi, Josh Maja and Jed Wallace all missed out on the Baggies’ win over Watford last time out and will likely remain absent against Coventry as they look to recover from their respective long-term injuries.
Wallace is suffering from a lengthy calf problem, and has not appeared for Mowbray’s men since a 1-1 draw with Millwall on 15 February.
Meanwhile, Coventry goalkeeper Oliver Dovin has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury, and midfield duo Victor Torp and Josh Eccles are also enduring long-term injury problems.
The Sky Blues are hopeful that former West Brom striker Brandon Thomas-Asante will be able to return from his groin strain to face the Baggies on Friday.
Coventry v West Brom predicted lineups
Coventry – Collins, Van Ewijk, Latibeaudiere, Kitching, Dasilva, Sheaf, Grimes, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright, Simms
West Brom – Griffiths, Furlong, Bartley, Heggem, Styles, Price, Mowatt, Fellows, Grant, Johnston, Armstrong
Championship form guide
Coventry – DWLLW
West Brom – WLLLD
Coventry v West Brom supercomputer prediction
The Hawthorns faithful will be desperate to see their side beat Coventry on away soil on Friday.
However, Opta’s supercomputer has predicted that the Baggies have just a 26.7 per cent chance of getting the better of Lampard’s men.
The supercomputer has outlined that the Sky Blues have a 47 per cent probability of beating Albion, while the chances of a draw stand at 26.3 per cent.