Our prediction for this Championship match:
Birmingham City play host to Coventry City at their St. Andrew’s Stadium on day 11 of the new Championship campaign. The Blues aim to build on back-to-back wins over Preston and WBA, and they must be high on spirits following the Hawthorns triumph. A man to watch in the home team will be Ireland striker Scott Hogan, who scored a brace in the midweek victory, while all Dean, Friend, Gardner, Gordon, and Placheta should miss out through injuries.
Mark Robins’ troops, on the other hand, do not seem to be competitive at this level, with the team collecting only two points to date from possible 18. Even though the rock-bottom side shared the spoils with Luton Town on Wednesday evening, we are tempted to put our money on Birmingham, who have been showing signs of improvement of late. Defender Michael Rose, who limped off with injury in the midweek draw, is unlikely to feature against the Blues.
Highlighted Player (George Friend):
George Friend has played for no less than nine English clubs so far in his career. Friend made his first-team debut for non-League club Exeter City on April 17, 2006 in a goalless draw with Forest Green Rovers and he stayed at St James Park until 2008. After ending his loan spells with Tiverton Town and Team Bath he joined Wolverhampton, but he made no more than seven appearances for the Wolves in the league.
The 188-cm-tall left-back, who is capable of playing as a centre-back as well, played for the likes of Millwall, Southend, Scunthorpe United and Exeter City on loan during his spell with Wolverhampton and at the end of the 2009/2010 season he signed a two-year deal with Doncaster Rovers. Friend made his Doncaster debut on August 7, 2010 in a 2-0 win over Preston and after three years at the club he was sold to Middlesbrough for a fee of £100,000.
The left-footed defender has been playing for Boro ever since and you should know that he made 24 appearances for the club in the 2016/2017 Premier League campaign.
Highlighted Team (Coventry):
Nicknamed the Sky Blues, Coventry City are an English football club that compete in the League One. Coventry City, who were founded on August 13, 1883 as Singers FC, wear sky blue kit when playing on home soil, whilst their away colour is white.
Aston Villa and Leicester City are considered the club’s main rivals, but they have rivalry with fellow West Midlands clubs Wallsall and Burton Albion as well. Coventry City have yet to win the Premier League trophy, but they did well to go all the way in the FA Cup in the 1986/1987 season, with the team beat Charlton Athletic in the two-legged final. They share stadium with Birmingham City, with both clubs playing their home games at St. Andrew’s Stadium.
Built in December, 1906, St. Andrew’s Stadium can hold up to 29,409 spectators. Dion Dublin is one of the most famous Coventry City players, with the legendary centre-forward scoring 61 goals in 145 appearances for the club in the league.