Our betting expert has three Coventry vs Sunderland tips for Friday’s Championship match at the Coventry Building Society Arena (kick-off, 8pm). Scroll down for the analysis behind his selections.
- Coventry to win @ 6/5 with Sky Bet
- Jack Rudoni to score at any time @ 4/1 with Betfair
- BetBuilder – Over six Coventry corners, under two Sunderland goals and over 2 Sunderland cards @ 13/2 with bet365
City should gain an advantage
A line will be drawn in the sand as Coventry and Sunderland head into Championship playoff action in search of a place in the Premier League, but it is hard to ignore that these teams come into battle in contrasting form.
Coventry have flourished under the stewardship of Frank Lampard and with nine wins from their last 11 games at the Coventry Building Society Arena, this could be a difficult night for the Black Cats.
That run included a 3-0 win over Sunderland when Haji Wright helped himself to a hat-trick in March and the Sky Blues have been fully focused on the race for a top-six spot and needed a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough at the weekend to punch their ticket.
That has not been the case for Sunderland, who have been comfortable in fourth for weeks, but it seems they have been a bit too relaxed and it has to be a cause for concern that they head into the playoff battle, having lost their last five games.
It will not be easy for them to simply switch the tap back on and they could have plenty of work to do in the second leg if they are to realise their top-flight ambitions.
Coventry vs Sunderland Tip 1: Coventry to win @ 6/5 with Sky Bet
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Rudoni can be Lampard’s main man
Lampard was one of the greatest attacking midfielders of his generation and his influence appears to be rubbing off on Coventry’s Jack Rudoni.
While Wright was the hat-trick hero when these two met in March, Rudoni took his seasonal goal tally to nine with both in the vital win over Middlesbrough at the weekend.
His confidence should be sky high and it would not be a surprise if he made his mark again in this massive game against the Black Cats.
Coventry vs Sunderland Tip 2: Jack Rudoni to score at any time @ 4/1 with Betfair
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Sky Blues can claim plenty of corners
Three elements can be combined to form a Bet Builder that, if successful, would pay out at 13/2.
Firstly, back Coventry to have more than six corners. There were only four teams in the Championship who forced more flag kicks than the Sky Blues during the regular campaign and their average of 11.17 per game was the highest in the second tier.
Sunderland are struggling for goals and there looks a strong chance they will not score more than once, something they have not achieved in their last ten matches, so that can be added as a second bet, while what the Black Cats have missed in terms of goals, they have made up for in their accumulation of yellow cards.
Their tally of 99 is the fifth highest in the division and they have seven players who have been booked at least eight times in the league this term, so they could receive more than two as a team.
Coventry vs Sunderland Tip 3: BetBuilder – Over six Coventry corners, under two Sunderland goals and over 2 Sunderland cards @ 13/2 with bet365
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