Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
This game is intriguing and crucial not just because both clubs are battling for survival, but also due to the meeting of two former footballing greats who have yet to establish themselves as top-class managers. Both have been consistently falling short in their managerial roles.
Coventry City
Frank Lampard has only recently joined Coventry City, so expectations for him are currently tempered. He has been in charge for five matches, securing two victories and a draw, yet they remain in 17th place. Their most recent defeat to Portsmouth came as a surprise; not losing in itself, as Portsmouth can perform well at home, but rather the fact that they lost 1:4. Looking at their recent home form, Coventry have two wins and two draws in their last five encounters, having beaten major rivals like Hull City (2:1) and Luton Town (3:2).
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle have the capacity to surprise, particularly at home. In the previous round, they held Middlesbrough, a strong play-off contender, to a 3:3 draw. That match was not only disappointing for losing points—thrice they led and thrice they were pegged back—but also due to in-game injuries. They had to replace winger Michael Obafemi in the ninth minute and centre-forward Ryan Hardie after an hour. With leading scorers Ibrahim Sissoko and Morgan Whittaker, each with three goals, already sidelined by injuries, and Mohamed Tijani also out since early in the season, their attack is greatly depleted. There’s no definitive assessment on Michael Obafemi's injury, and Ryan Hardie will miss all the festive fixtures. It’s remarkable that Plymouth Argyle managed to score three last time out given these setbacks.
Coventry City vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction
Against a team with the leakiest defence (2.1 goals per game) and a weakened attack, Coventry should prevail, especially at home. They are likely to net at least two goals, as they have done in four of their last five home games, with the opposition being a major underdog.
