Preview: Sunderland vs. Coventry City – prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to extend their lead at the top of the second-tier standings, Sunderland will welcome managerless Coventry City to the Stadium of Light for a Championship match on Saturday afternoon.

The Black Cats are back in the North-East after consecutive away stalemates, whilst the Sky Blues are reeling from the announcement of a serious change to the coaching staff at the club.

Match preview

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Since the two-goal home success over newly-promoted Oxford United at the end of October, Sunderland have commenced their November schedule with back-to-back away draws, sharing the spoils at Queens Park Rangers on November 2 before playing out a goalless draw with Preston North End in Lancashire on Wednesday night.

With the Lilywhites dominating possession and creating the lion’s share of the clear-cut chances at Deepdale last time out, the Black Cats were arguably lucky to escape back to the North-East with a point, with the visitors managing just 0.73 expected goals across the course of the contest.

Despite failing to win either of their last two second-tier matches, Sunderland remain situated at the summit of the Championship standings ahead of November’s international pause, two points above second-placed Sheffield United and four points ahead of Leeds United in third.

Collecting 16 points from their opening six league matches at the Stadium of Light this season, no side in the division has managed to earn more points in front of their own supporters than Regis Le Bris‘s troops, who have made a sensational start under the stewardship of the forward-thinking Frenchman.

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After seven years in the managerial hotseat at The CBS Arena – in which time Coventry rose from the depths of League Two to the verge of Premier League promotion – long-serving head coach Mark Robins was relieved of his duties on Thursday morning following a defeat to Derby County the previous night.

A first-half strike from Jerry Yates and an own goal from Sky Blues centre-back Bobby Thomas proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the 54-year-old at the East Midlands club, with the hosts on Wednesday night managing a consolation late on courtesy of Tatsuhiro Sakamoto‘s first of the term.

Despite losing just one of his last four matches in charge, Robins is now without employment and an interim head coach will take the reins of a talented Coventry squad for the trip to Sunderland on the weekend, with the visitors currently occupying 17th in the Championship table.

The only two players to net more than once in the Championship so far this season, American marksman Haji Wright (6) and Ellis Simms (2) will be key to any potential playoff charge under the leadership of Robins’s successor, with the pair firing in 29 league goals across the 2023-24 term.

Sunderland Championship form:

Coventry City Championship form:

Team News

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After earning a straight red card during the draw at QPR last week, Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham is suspended for Saturday afternoon’s clash.

The Black Cats will also be unable to call upon the services of first-choice goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, meaning that Simon Moore will start once again in between the sticks.

At the age of 17, Chris Rigg is enjoying a breakthrough season in the Championship and should partner Alan Browne and Dan Neil in the engine room.

Failing to impress during the loss to Derby, Coventry’s Brandon Thomas-Asante could drop out of the visitors’ XI for the trip to the Stadium of Light.

Goalscorer Sakamoto and Wright should retain their berths, with the likes of Victor Torp and Ephron Mason-Clark pushing for promotions from the bench.

Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Moore; Hume, Mepham, O’Nein, Cirkin; Browne, Neil, Roberts, Rigg, Mundle; Isidor

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Dovin; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Binks; Van Ewijk, Eccles, Sheaf, Dasilva; Sakamoto, Mason-Clark; Wright

We say: Sunderland 2-0 Coventry City

After back-to-back away clean sheets and goalless draws, league leaders Sunderland will be desperate to get back to winning ways versus a managerless Coventry outfit.

The Sky Blues will be under interim management at the Stadium of Light, where we expect the visitors to slump to their eighth defeat of the Championship term.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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