Coventry vs Southampton prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-12 19:45.
After a tough start to the season, Coventry City are finding some form, with their 2-0 West Midlands derby victory over Birmingham City last Friday their third Championship win in four games (L1). In addition, four of the Sky Blues’ last five matches have seen them keep a clean sheet, with only promotion-chasing Ipswich Town able to breach their defence in that period.
That Ipswich game also serves as one of just three this league season in which Coventry have conceded in the opening 25 minutes. And while boss Mark Robins will be pleased to see his side are resolute in the opening stages, he won’t be as happy to note they are the lowest Championship scorers across the same period, scoring just once in that time frame.
By contrast, Southampton have netted 13 goals in the opening 25 minutes in 2023/24, a figure only eclipsed in the Championship by Ipswich’s 14 ahead of the round. Not only that, but Russell Martin’s men are on a 12-match unbeaten run (W8, D4) stretching back to late September – the longest current streak in the EFL. However, they will perhaps feel that those four draws should all have been victories considering they went 1-0 up on each occasion.
The Saints head to the Coventry Building Society Arena looking to extend their winning sequence in this fixture to five games, with each of those triumphs seeing them score at least twice. And as a player for Norwich City and Walsall, the visitors’ manager Russell Martin never lost against Wednesday’s upcoming opponents, winning four of his five H2Hs (D1).
Players to watch: Four of Haji Wright’s five goals this campaign have come in the 70th minute onwards, while Adam Armstrong is the second-highest scorer in the Championship this season (G12), having found the net four times in the first 15 minutes.
Hot stat: Southampton haven’t won any of their last 21 matches in all competitions (D3, L18) after conceding the opener.