Coventry City host Sunderland in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi final at the CBS Arena.
EFL Championship
Our Three Predictions For Coventry City vs Sunderland
- First Prediction: Coventry City To Win – 5/4
- Second Prediction: Both Teams To Score – No – 33/50
- Third Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals – 11/25
First Prediction For Coventry City vs Sunderland – Coventry City To Win – 5/4
Coventry have established themselves as a Championship powerhouse since Frank Lampard was appointed in November. The decision to part company with Mark Robins was a brave one and one that wasn’t universally accepted by fans. However, few can deny that the former England international has got supporters on side, having guided the Sky Blues from 17th into the play-offs. A run of nine wins from 10 between January and March saw them rise up the table quickly, and it’s fair to say that they have perhaps whimpered in recent weeks. Defeats against relegated pair Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town left them needing a victory over Middlesbrough to guarantee a top six finish, and they got the job done in comfortable fashion. That said, their home form is excellent, with only the top two having left the West Midlands with three points since the turn of the year.
If Coventry whimpered over the line, then Sunderland well and truly limped through the final stages. Their form throughout the first half of the season left them with a comfortable gap on the chasing pack, but they finished the campaign with five successive defeats. This can be perhaps attributed to the fact that their play-off place was secure, but momentum means a lot in these knockout games, something Regis Le Bris’ side just don’t have.
Second Prediction For Coventry City vs Sunderland – Both Teams To Score – No – 33/50
Coventry have seen both teams score in 52% of their fixtures so far this season, a percentage matched at the CBS Arena. However, they have kept four clean sheets in their last five home games, a run which also includes a 3-0 victory over Sunderland in March.
The Black Cats are in a dreadful run of form. They are winless in their last six, scoring just one goal in the process. They have scored and conceded in the same game just twice in their last 10. Those two games came in the way of a 2-1 defeat at Bristol City last month and a 1-1 draw against Preston North End in March.
Third Prediction For Coventry City vs Sunderland – Under 2.5 Goals – 11/25
Coventry’s last three home games have all fallen under this market, with Frank Lampard’s team picking up a 2-0 win and a pair of 1-0s. Other than that, they do rank at 52% in games which have seen three or more goals, although that increases to 65% at the CBS Arena.
Sunderland’s recent form has been well documented, but it’s likely they’ve been preparing for this tie for some time now. Still, it will be difficult to instantly return to form and they will be content with keeping the score down ahead of a return to the Stadium of Light next week. Only one of their last eight has gone over 2.5 goals, which was that 2-1 defeat at Bristol City.
Best Odds For Coventry City vs Sunderland
| Bookmaker | Coventry City | Draw | Sunderland |
| MyriadPlay | 5/4 | 19/10 | 9/4 |
| Gentleman Jim | 11/8 | 2/1 | 11/5 |
| Betarno | 13/10 | 19/10 | 85/40 |
Full Preview of the Game: Last Results and Head-To-Head
Coventry’s finish to the campaign has been largely inconsistent. They needed to beat Middlesbrough at the weekend to guarantee a play-off place, a result they duly delivered thanks to a brace from Jack Rudoni. They lost their two in the lead up to that game against Plymouth Argyle (3-1) and Luton Town (1-0), which followed a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion. However, they showed their struggles against teams fighting relegation prior to that when they drew 1-1 with Hull City.
Sunderland have been in cruise control in recent weeks, largely due to their comfortable position. They have been virtually assured of a play-off place for some time now, whilst it was always unlikely they would launch an assault on the top two. As a result, their form has taken a nosedive. They enter this game on a run of five successive defeats, having lost to Swansea City (1-0), Bristol City (2-1), Blackburn Rovers (1-0), Oxford United (2-0) and Queens Park Rangers (1-0). Their last victory came at the beginning of April when they beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at The Hawthorns.
Coventry have been the dominant force in this fixture in recent years. They won 3-0 at the CBS Areana in March, whilst the two teams played out a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light in November. Sunderland are winless in their last 10 against the Sky Blues, with their last victory coming back in 2007. However, they haven’t won on Coventry’s stamping ground since 1985, which was back in the Highfield Road days.
Confrontation |
Where To Watch Coventry City vs Sunderland
Where can I watch this game, either in person or on TV?
- Location: CBS Arena, Judds Lane, Coventry CV6 6GE
- Date: May 9rd, 2025
- TV Channel: Sky Sports Main Even, Sky Sports Football
Probable Lineups For Coventry City vs Sunderland
Predicted Coventry City Lineup
- Lineup: Wilson; Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Grimes, Sheaf; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright; Simms
- Injured/Suspended: Mason-Clark, Bassette, Dovin, Torp, Dasilva
- Manager: Frank Lampard
Predicted Sunderland Lineup
- Lineup: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nein, Cirkin; Bellingham, Neil; Roberts, Rigg, Le Fee; Isidor
- Injured/Suspended: Alese, Poveda, Danns
- Manager: Regis Le Bris
