High-flying Coventry City will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in the Championship when they welcome Welsh outfit Swansea City to the West Midlands on Tuesday night. Coventry are currently fourth in the table, having picked up 27 points from their 15 league games this season, while Swansea, who have won three of their last four in the Championship, are 13th.
Coventry City returned to winning ways last Saturday as they claimed a narrow 1-0 win away to Hull City. Before that, Mark Robins’ men were on a three-game winless run, suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Preston North End and draws against Blackburn Rovers and Derby County.
Coventry City have tried to score most of their goals on the break and are lethal with their counterattacks. Swansea have possession-based gameplay, which Coventry will be comfortable with, because when the Swans are trying to attack the opposition goal, Coventry can win the ball and start a quick counterattack. They have an average of 3.73 counterattacks per game and the Swans will have to watch out for this.
Coventry City have conceded 17 goals so far in 15 games and do not exactly have the best defensive record in the league, but it is not that bad as well. They have completed the most number of defensive duels and have won an average of 47.36 duels per game. Coventry have started in a 3-4-1-2 formation which at times switches to a five at the back when the opposition has the ball.
During their last term, Swansea made the playoff final and were one match away from securing a return to the Premier League, but the Welsh side suffered a 0-2 defeat to Brentford. It would be fair to say that the Swans have struggled for consistency this term, winning five, drawing five, and losing five of their 15 matches to collect 20 points, which has left them in 13th position in the table. Swansea appear to have turned a corner in recent weeks, though, having won three of their last four in the league, including a 3-0 success over Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon.
The above visual shows us Swansea’s shot map from their recent win against Peterborough United. Swansea scored three goals and were highly effective going forward into the final third. They had a total of 13 shots on goal with three shots on target. Swansea were clinical in front of goal and converted the chances they created to finish off the game.
Swansea City have played the most number of passes into the final third and have an average of 43.16 successful passes into the final third per 90 minutes. Swansea have a more direct approach towards goal and are always on the look to find pockets of spaces in the opposition defense, which they can use to create a goalscoring opportunity. Coventry City are a good defensive side and will make Swansea work hard to create such opportunities.
The hosts will be desperate to get one over the visitors, having failed to secure a win in the last eight meetings between the sides. The visitors will be determined to gain momentum ahead of two difficult matches against the leaders Bournemouth and sixth-placed Blackpool on either side of the international break.
Coventry City predicted starting lineup:
Moore, Clarke-Salter, McFadzean, Hyam, Dabo, Hamer, Sheaf, Maatsen, O’Hare, Gooden, Gyokeres.
Swansea City predicted starting lineup:
Hamer, Bennett, Naughton, Manning, Laird, Smith, Grimes, Bidwell, Ntcham, Piroe, Paterson.
