Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City prediction, preview, team news and more | EFL Championship 2020-21

Two teams struggling in the EFL Championship this season, Nottingham Forest and Coventry City, go head to head this week.

The hosts’ four-game unbeaten run was ended on Saturday following a narrow 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough.

That was their first defeat under new manager Chris Hughton but they are now only kept out of the bottom three on goal difference at the expense of fierce rivals Derby County.

Coventry won their first game in seven last time out as they claimed the terrific scalp of league leaders Reading on Friday night, triumphing 3-2.

The result helped them out of the bottom three and up to 20th, although a loss could see them sink back into the relegation zone.

"Defensively we have been compact as a team and I am happy with what I have seen with that. We have got to show more in front of goal and show more of a threat than what we have been.”Chris Hughton on today's defeat at Middlesbrough 🗣 #NFFC https://t.co/JtJPu5A665

— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) October 31, 2020

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Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City Head-to-Head

The two outfits meet for the first time since 2012, when Forest beat Coventry 2-0.

The hosts have not lost to the Sky Blues at the City Ground since 2004 – some five home games ago.

Coventry last beat their counterparts in October 2011, although that was on home turf.

The last three times the Sky Blues beat Forest, they kept a clean sheet – that may be necessary if Coventry are going to claim a result this time around.

Overall, Nottingham Forest have beaten Coventry 45 times in their history, losing 19 times and drawing on 28 occasions.

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Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City Team News

Harry Arter remains a doubt for the hosts although all evidence suggests that he should be back in the matchday squad before long.

Lewis Grabban is also a doubt but if he passes a late fitness test he may make the starting XI, while Nicholas Ioannou continues to sit out the suspension he picked up following his red card against Luton Town last week.

Injured: Joe Worrall, Tyler Blackett, Fouad Bachirou

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Nicholas Ioannou

Sam McCallum could be handed a start following his match-winning strike last week while Callum O’Hare could come back into the starting XI in place of Max Biamou.

Injured: Julien Dacosta, Wes Jobello

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

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Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City Predicted XI

Nottingham Forest predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Brice Samba, Cyrus Christie, Tobias Figueiredo, Scott McKenna, Gaetan Bong, Ryan Yates, Jack Colback, Anthony Knockaert, Joe Lolley, Sammy Ameobi, Lyle Taylor

Coventry City predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Marko Marosi, Dominic Hyam, Leo Ostigard, Michael Rose, Ryan Giles, Ben Sheaf, Gustavo Hamer, Sam McCallum, Jordan Shipley, Callum O’Hare, Mark Godden

'Super Matty Goddennnnnn' 🎶A 4th strike of the season for this man on Friday 👏 #PUSB | @MattyGodden24 pic.twitter.com/BjkCphinp6

— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) November 1, 2020

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Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City Prediction

This could be a close one with both teams’ respective recent runs coming to an end last weekend.

Coventry will be on a high, and rightly so, while Nottingham Forest will look to make sure they don’t fall back into their losing rut.

There’s a lot at stake in this one, with the potential losers very likely to fall into the bottom three.

This match may be so close that they can’t ultimately be separated, with the likely absence of Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban potentially being the difference between a draw and all three points for the home team.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Coventry City