Coventry City returns to league action tonight when they take on toppled Southampton from the Premier League at CBS Arena. The Sky Blues will be making it back-to-back wins after Friday night’s 2-0 win over Birmingham City.
Mark Robins’ men are on a 3-win streak in their last 4 league games as they continue to bounce back after a slow start to the 2023/24 campaign, but tonight they face a tough task compared to an in-form team. The Saints are looking to extend a 12-game unbeaten streak, while manager Russell Martin has never lost to Coventry in the league during his tenure as manager.
Coventry welcomes Matty Godden back to Team of the Day after being out this weekend due to the birth of his wife’s second child, while Kasey Palmer is expected to be an option on the bench after returning from nine games injured.
Fourth placed Southampton boast the second highest scorer in the division in Adam Armstrong (12) – a familiar face to Sky Blues fans after the striker bagged 20 goals for the club during an impressive loan spell in 2015/16, while another goal threat comes in the form of Che Adams, who started out at City’s academy but was released at the age of 14.
Stay tuned for all of tonight’s team news that will be posted here at 6:45 p. m. m. , an hour before kick-off, and stay up to date with all the action just like Sky Blues journalist Andy Turner.
It’s over on CBS, with City pushing for a winner and appearing to be late.
Palmer on Sheaf and his angled shot is brilliantly saved.
A minimum of seven minutes will be added for stops.
Adam Armstrong and Smallbone for Alcaraz and Mara
Josh Eccles, Kasey Palmer and Jay Dasilva Allen, O’Hare and Bidwell.
Milan van Ewijk goes down clutching his knee in pain after a clash with a Saints player. He receives treatment as the game comes to a halt for a good few minutes and then is able to carry on.
23,996 (to 2,910)
Edozie scored with an indirect shot from the box after Sheaf lost possession.
Stuart Armstrong shoots from the edge of the box and Collins goes low to save near the post.
Edozie and Fraser Adams and Charles.
O’Hare makes the goal by playing a lovely through ball and Wright takes it in his stride, takes and touch and finished into the bottom corner.
Ride!
Sakamoto and Van Ewijk combine well down the left and the latter sends in an early ball which O’Hare hits first time onto the bar. Terrific move and good effort.
Although City enjoyed a decent first attack of the second half, Armstrong had just cleared from the left and got the equalizer and the area to shoot, as he lifted it over the bar.
Let’s hope for a more entertaining second 45.
It has to be said that, from the point of view of the spectators, it fits badly with Southampton’s boring style of defence. Despite having 74% possession, they only have one shot on target to do so. City, meanwhile, have been reduced to counter-attacking football and lack a bit of quality in the final third to break through.
Sakamoto plays with Simms on the right and the striker takes an angled shot that the goalkeeper blocks. Decent effort.
The fourth official signaled one minute of added time.
Sheaf got away from his marker and made a sublime pass to Simms’ feet, but the striker dispossessed him as he entered the box.
City further defended Southampton’s pressure in a truly tedious match.
City enjoyed little control on the right and Jamie Allen pushed the ball into the box and fired a strong low shot in front of goal and just wide of the post.
Adam Armstrong sends a shot over the bar after a patient build-up move by Southampton. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before they score.
It’s frustrating to see City chasing the shadows and waiting for a mistake or an offside pass to win the ball back. And then when they get it back, they don’t have the quality to hold it.
City are betting with two teams of 4 in a 4-4-1-1 formation at the moment in a bid to engage the Saints, with O’Hare one of two strikers, only Simms, either chasing and urgently from l’Antes.
Visitors have had 65 cents of property so far, it turns out it’s a lot more. City have yet to get their game going or face their opponents.
Adam Armstrong goes to the ground in the zone in front of a challenge from Jake Bidwell, but the referee doesn’t care. The city lives dangerously here.
Stuart Armstrong sends in a deep cross and Shea Charles makes his with Simms hanging off the line. Good defense from the great striker.
City overcame two corners in quick succession, the first allowing Armstrong to take a hard shot that blocked Bobthrough Thomas. The moment is erased.
Shea Charles sent the ball into the bottom corner but the goal was disallowed for a foul on O’Hare on the edge of the box.