Coventry

Win probability

Markets

Key factors

• ●
  Cagey contest · Both teams

  Relegation six-pointer: Coventry are 19th and Sunderland 20th, both in the bottom three, so a cagey game is the likelier script.

  Both
• ▼
  After the 2-0 home loss to Dinamo Zagreb, with bottom-placed Sunderland booed, Le Bris agreed confidence is probably low and called Chelsea the week's most important game.

  After the 2-0 home loss to Dinamo Zagreb, with bottom-placed Sunderland booed, Le Bris agreed confidence is probably low and called Chelsea the week's most important game.

  SUN
• ▼
  Player out

  Josh Eccles and Luke Woolfenden are both expected to stay sidelined for the Everton game.

  COV
• ▼
  Frank Onyeka doubtful

  Onyeka faces a late fitness test before the Friday game at Everton.

  COV
• ▼
  Habib Diarra out

  Hamstring injury in training; Le Bris put the absence at about six weeks and Talbi replaced him in the Europa League squad.

  SUN
• ▼
  Bobby Thomas out

  Centre-back Bobby Thomas missed the 3-1 win over Sunderland through injury, picked up against Fulham; Stephen Mfuni deputised. Coventry climbed out of the relegation zone.

  COV
• ▼
  Lampard may change his attack after a toothless defeat: Onyeka could replace Yirenkyi, Mason-Clark and Thomas-Asante compete on the left, and Awoniyi vs Cherif up front is a toss-up.

  Lampard may change his attack after a toothless defeat: Onyeka could replace Yirenkyi, Mason-Clark and Thomas-Asante compete on the left, and Awoniyi vs Cherif up front is a toss-up.

  COV

Preview

A true relegation six-pointer: Coventry sit 19th on six points, Sunderland are bottom on five. Coventry lost 1-0 at home to Fulham last time out and centre-back Bobby Thomas limped off in that game; Frank Lampard could give no diagnosis and he has not been ruled out. Midfielder Josh Eccles is still not training on the grass after an ankle setback, and Luke Woolfenden and Haji Wright remain out. Sunderland drew 0-0 with Leeds on Sunday and Nordi Mukiele, forced off in that game, is fine according to Regis Le Bris. They then beat Brentford 3-2 in the League Cup on Wednesday, so this is their third game in a week, with a Europa League campaign also running. Dan Ballard and Romaine Mundle are out and Wilson Isidor is a doubt. The market has Sunderland as slight favourites at about 41%, with goals rated close to a coin flip. With so much at stake for both, we lean towards a tight game but nothing clears our bar.

Head to head

• 2025-05-13Sunderland 1–1 CoventryChampionship
• 2025-05-09Coventry 1–2 SunderlandChampionship
• 2025-03-15Coventry 3–0 SunderlandChampionship
• 2024-11-09Sunderland 2–2 CoventryChampionship
• 2023-12-23Sunderland 0–3 CoventryChampionship