Coventry vs Middlesbrough predictions: Sky Blues to get the job done
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- Coventry are sixth, ahead of seventh-placed Millwall on goal difference
- Middlesbrough are two points further back in ninth
- Recommended bet: Coventry to win
Coventry and Middlesbrough meet in a crunch clash at the CBS Arena on the final day of the Championship season, with both teams still in the hunt to secure a place in the play-offs.
Frank Lampard's Coventry currently occupy the final play-off spot in sixth and a win should be enough to guarantee an extension to their season, while a draw may also suffice.
For ninth-placed Middlesbrough, the equation is simple, they must win to stand any chance of gate-crashing the top six and even then, they will also be relying on results going their way elsewhere.
Team news
Coventry remain without injured trio Ephron Mason-Clark (foot), Victor Torp (ankle) and Oliver Dovin (knee), while full-back Jay Dasilva will miss out following his sending-off during last weekend's loss at Luton.
Lampard is also sweating over the fitness of Joel Latibeaudiere, who injured his ankle against the Hatters, as well as Bobby Thomas (calf) and Milan van Ewijk (groin), who both missed that game.
Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick had six players missing for last week's goalless draw with Norwich and Sol Brynn (shoulder), Riley McGree (leg), Luke Ayling (ankle), Alex Bangura (Achilles), Ben Doak (thigh) and Seny Dieng (Achilles) all look set to miss out again.
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The stats
Coventry have lost back-to-back games at Plymouth and Luton, but their home record remains strong, as they have won six of their last seven at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The Sky Blues also have an impressive recent record against Middlesbrough — they are unbeaten in the last seven meetings between the two sides, winning the four most recent of those clashes by an aggregate score of 10-1.
That unbeaten sequence against Boro also includes knocking them out in the Championship play-off semi-finals two seasons ago.
Middlesbrough have only won once in five matches.
Carrick's side have particularly struggled on their travels, winning just twice away from home since New Year's Day.
Prediction
Both these sides have been stuttering towards the finish line, but most of Coventry's struggles have come on their travels and they will be confident of getting the job done on home soil against a fading Middlesbrough outfit.
Barring an unlikely sequence of events — which includes play-off rivals Millwall winning emphatically at title chasing Burnley — Coventry know a win should guarantee their top-six status and Lampard will likely want his side to adopt a front-foot approach.
For Middlesbrough, it is a case of win or bust, but even that might not be good enough, so it is difficult to see Carrick's depleted and out-of-form side raising their levels for this crunch clash, especially given their recent poor record against Coventry.
This looks all set up for Coventry to clinch their place in the play-offs and they could well do so with a flourish.
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