Coventry and Sunderland collide at The Coventry Building Society Arena in the first leg of the Championship playoff semi-finals on Friday, May 9th. View our England Championship betting tips for the contest below.
Coventry vs Sunderland Best Odds
| Coventry 7/5 (+140) | X 2/1 (+200) | Sunderland 11/5 (+220) |
| Over 6/4 (+150) | 2.5 Goals | Under 8/15 (-188) |
| Yes 1/1 (+100) | BTTS | No 8/11 (-138) |
Coventry vs Sunderland Analysis
Coventry
Coventry secured their playoff berth on the final day of the regular Championship campaign with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough in the Midlands, a result that should galvanise confidence in their camp ahead of Friday’s playoff semi-final first leg.
City have been harnessing home advantage to excellent effect under the instruction of Frank Lampard, winning nine of their last 11 assignments at The Coventry Building Society Arena and losing only once (0-1 vs Burnley) during the same period.
A comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland in March was part of that impressive surge, so it comes as little surprise to see Coventry priced as favourites on sites for sports betting to secure a first-leg lead against the same opponents on Friday evening.
Team news: Ephron Mason-Clark, Norman Bassette, Oliver Dovin and Victor Torp are injured for Coventry. Jay Dasilva is available again following the end of his ban.
Predicted Lineup: Wilson, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell, Grimes, Sheaf, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright, Simms
Sunderland
Sunderland have been keeping their powder dry for the playoff for weeks having secured their place in the knockout phase with room to spare, however, their form has tailed off badly as a result.
The Black Cats lost 1-0 in disappointing fashion at home to QPR in their last regular-season fixture and that narrow reverse was their fifth defeat in a row in the Championship.
With little momentum to draw from, Sunderland could hardly be in worse shape ahead of Friday’s first leg and the visitors, who are underdogs on EFL betting sites, should find it tough to match a more confident Coventry outfit.
Team news: Sunderland will be without Ahmed Abdullahi, Romaine Mundle, Ian Poveda, Jayden Danns, Ajibola Alese and Niall Huggins.
Predicted Lineup: Patterson, Hume, Mepham, O’Nien, Cirkin, Bellingham, Neil, Roberts, Rigg, Le Fee, Mayenda
Coventry vs Sunderland Stats and Trends
- Coventry have won nine of their last 11 home fixtures in the Championship, losing only once along the way.
- Sunderland have lost each of their last five matches in the Championship.
- Sunderland have scored only one goal in their last six Championship games combined.
- Hadji Wright scored a hattrick when Coventry beat Sunderland 3-0 in March.
Coventry vs Sunderland Prediction
Coventry have won a superb nine of their last 11 tests on home soil and they managed to turn Sunderland over 3-0 when the teams met in March during that impressive Sky Blues surge. Sunderland’s performances have been flat for weeks and difficult to see how they can snap a run of five straight defeats when they visit in-form City. Back Coventry to establish a first-leg lead on Friday evening.
Prediction: Coventry to win – 7/5 (+140) – Fitzdares
Coventry vs Sunderland – The Ultimate Bet:
Both teams to score – No – 8/11 (-138)
Coventry kept Sunderland off the scoresheet when the teams last met at The Coventry Building Society Arena in March and that was the fourth clean sheet that City managed to secure in their last five matches at that venue.
Sunderland meanwhile, have been toiling in the final third for an extended period, failing to register in five of their last six fixtures and netting only twice in their last five away games combined.
With the Black Cats looking alarmingly toothless in recent weeks and a secure Coventry outfit defending manfully, bettors are advised to back both teams not to score on Friday at an attractive price of 8/11.
