Coventry City play host to Rotherham United on Tuesday evening in increasing need of recording another three points in the Championship.
At a time when the Sky Blues have dropped down to ninth position in the standings, Rotherham are cut adrift at the bottom and all but relegated.
Match preview
© Reuters
Although Coventry have a FA Cup quarter-final date with Wolverhampton Wanderers to look forward to, Mark Robins will be frustrated by their drop-off in the league.
Fixtures against an in-form Preston North End outfit and West Bromwich Albion were certainly not easy games on paper, yet Robins would have expected to earn points from each of those encounters.
Instead, 3-0 and 2-1 defeats respectively have left Coventry with much work ahead if they wish to earn a playoff spot, with the Midlands outfit now five points adrift of sixth place.
Coventry are also in the peculiar position where they do not play a direct rival for the playoffs for the remainder of the campaign, putting extra pressure on taking advantage of matches such as this one.
While Coventry have lost just twice in 17 second-tier fixtures at the CBS Arena in 2023-24, they have only won seven, and that return will only encourage the visitors.
That is despite Rotherham having put together a seven-match losing streak in the Championship, resulting in them dropping a massive 19 points adrift of safety.
With just 11 matches remaining, the Millers are all but relegated back to League One, and Leam Richardson has little choice but to go on the offensive in this game.
However, this is a Rotherham side have failed to win a single match on their travels in the Championship this season, collecting just four points and scoring only 13 goals.
Richardson's side last avoided defeat on the road when they earned a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough on January 20.
Team News
© Reuters
Despite losing narrowly at West Brom, Robins may be prepared to stick with the same Coventry XI for this contest.
Although Haji Wright came off the substitutes' bench to halve the deficit from the penalty spot, he may remain among the replacements unless he comes in for Callum O'Hare or Kasey Palmer.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has been ruled out for the season with a back injury, while Jamie Allen and Ben Sheaf are also expected to miss out.
As for Rotherham, Richardson could make changes in midfield and attack, with the likes of Cafu, Jordan Hugill and Charlie Wyke all pushing for starts.
Daniel Ayala, Tyler Blackett and Cohen Bramall all remained injured for the Millers, although Oliver Rathbone may be pushing for a return.
Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Wilson; Thomas, Latibeaudiere, Binks; Van Ewijk, Eccles, Torp, Dasilva; O'Hare, Palmer; Simms
Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Odoffin, Peltier, Humphreys; Kioso, Rinomhota, Tiehi, Clucas, Ferguson; Hugill, Wyke
We say: Coventry City 3-1 Rotherham United
Rotherham may sense an opportunity to take advantage of a Coventry side that have lost their way in the second tier. However, we cannot back against the Sky Blues, who will deem this as the perfect fixture to get back on track.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
