Coventry City and Derby County will set aside their Championship ambitions this weekend when they go toe-to-toe in the third round of the FA Cup at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday with kickoff at 15:30.
Both sides have experienced contrasting fortunes in the Championship this season with Coventry City making an impressive start to the campaign and were pushing for promotion until a recent drop off in form.
The Sky Blues have only managed to claim two victories two victories from their last 12 league matches and head into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Millwall at home in their last league fixture. The defeat extended Coventry’s winless run to six matches and the slump has seen them drop from promotion-playoff positions to the middle of the table with six points outside the top six.
Therefore, Mark Robinson’s will view Saturday’s match a much needed distraction from the league campaign and will be looking to use to end their slump before returning to Championship action.
Meanwhile Derby County have gone through so much this season with club facing a total of 21 points deduction as penalty for breaching financial fair play rules. However, Wayne Rooney and his men have not given up and have now moved to within 11 points adrift of safety courtesy of a four-match unbeaten streak.
They head into the match on the back of a 2-2 draw against Reading at away last time out. Derby seemed to be on the way to suffer a damaging 2-0 defeat on Monday night until they dramatically salvaged the situation late in the match with Kazim netting in the 86th minute before Curtis Davies earned his side a crucial point in 91st minute.
If it were up to Rooney, Derby will be continuing their Championship campaign this weekend as he would want his side continue their new found momentum, but with the financial issues at the club, the team will be equally motivated to try to put together a cup run to complement their efforts in the Championship.
Coventry City vs Derby County head to head
Both sides have met in 32 encounters since 1996 with both claiming 11 victories while drawing in 10 encounters. However, with Coventry playing at home, they have not lost to Derby in their last four encounters.
- Coventry 1-1 Derby 23/10/21
- Coventry 1-0 Derby 06/03/21
- Derby 1-1 Coventry 01/12/20
- Coventry 0-1 Derby 25/07/18
- Derby 1-0 Coventry 14/01/12
Home
- Coventry 0-1 Millwall
- Huddersfield 1-1 Coventry
- Coventry 1-2 West Brom
- Bournemouth 2-2 Coventry
- Coventry 0-0 Birmingham
Away
- Reading 2-2 Derby
- Stoke 1-2 Derby
- Derby 1-0 West Brom
- Derby 1-0 Blackpool
- Bristol City 1-0 Derby
Coventry team news
Coventry have no injury or suspension concerns.
Derby team news
Derby also have a fully-fit squad for the Saturday’s clash.
Prediction and odd
- Draw
- Both sides to score
- Derby win
