The Sky Bet Championship weekend begins on Friday night when two sides from the midlands collide at The Hawthorns as West Bromwich Albion play host to Coventry City in what is a local derby of sorts with enough implications on it.
Both teams harbour hopes of reaching the play-offs this season but they will both be well aware that they have to keep winning to stay in the hunt in what is a real logjam of teams chasing those places at the minute.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live on the red button service on Sky Sports. The kick off is at 8pm and the stream will begin surely before that for those who have that option.
West Bromwich Albion
West Brom go into this match as one of the form teams in the Championship, although they came up short against the leaders Burnley last time out in the league. They also lost in the FA Cup last weekend so it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, that has had on the Baggies. Carlos Corberan got a real tune out of the players he inherited and he made a couple of good signings on deadline day as Marc Albrighton and Nathaniel Chalobah.
The Baggies have won nine of their last 11 league matches which has seen them come out of the relegation zone and move right the way up to tenth in the table. They have the chance to move to fifth with a win here, although the teams they overtake will have the chance to move back above them over the remainder of the weekend. Seven of those nine recent wins were without conceding a goal so West Brom are in good touch at both ends of the pitch.
Coventry City
The Sky Blues have followed a similar path to their opponents here, albeit they haven’t had to change their manager in order to get the tune they required out of their players. They just needed to play regularly after their pitch issues meant their season never really got up and running for a month after everyone else. They have climbed to the fringes of the top half of the table in that time but have only won two of their last nine matches and gone out of the FA Cup to Wrexham in that period.
Their away form would be a concern. They have only won three matches on the road this season with two of them coming at Stoke and Cardiff who weren’t going all that well at the time of facing them. Most of their good work is done at home but they managed to keep hold of everyone significant as the transfer window which is key. That means they will carry a goal threat in this game but it is at the other end where this match could be decided.
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Team News
Carlos Coberan has confirmed that his late transfer deadline signings Marc Albrighton and Nathaniel Chalobah could both be involved in this contest. He will be unable to call on the services of Matt Phillips though as he has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
Tyler Walker and Kyle McFadzean could be available for this match according to Coventry boss Mark Robins. Fankaty Dabo, Matt Godden and Fabio Tavares will miss out but Sean Maguire could make his first start for the club.
Betting
I’m with the home side here. West Bromwich Albion were at Kenilworth Road a few weeks ago and looked like one of the best teams I’ve seen at this level in quite some time. When you consider the reinforcements that have arrived to strengthen them since then, the Baggies should be even stronger than that looked that afternoon. I don’t think that a loss to the leaders Burnley is necessarily anything to stop supporting them either.
Coventry have won against West Brom this season when a penalty decided a tight contest but they are a much better side on their own patch than they are on their travels. That is highlighted not just with their away form but also with the fact they have lost their last three away matches, albeit at strong home teams Reading, Sheffield United and Burnley. West Brom have won their last five at home and haven’t conceded in the process. I expect them to win here.
Tips
Back West Brom (-0.5AH) to beat Coventry for a 3/10 stake at 1.88 with Bet365
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