Championship | Gameweek 24

Dec 29, 2024 at 3pm UK

The Coventry Building Society Arena

Coventry vs Millwall

Match preview

After a 4-1 defeat away to Portsmouth on 21 December (when Callum Lang scored all four goals for Pompey), Coventry City bounced back at their home in the East Midlands last time, thrashing Plymouth, who are facing relegation.

All the goals came in the first 45 minutes at The CBS Arena, with a rare brace from Josh Eccles (along with goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Ephron Mason-Clark) sealing another victory in the East Midlands at the start of Frank Lampard's tenure.

Before their last game of 2024, Coventry are in 15th place in the Championship, eight points ahead of Hull City in the relegation spots and 10 points behind Watford, who are trying to get into the playoffs.

Lampard's team will need to step up their home game if they want any shot at making a surprising push for the top six in the second half of the 2024-25 season. The Sky Blues have only managed five wins in 11 Championship matches at their home ground so far.

The attacking play of American striker Haji Wright will be key for Coventry as they try to move up the Championship rankings. The tall forward has scored seven goals in 15 league games before getting a leg injury at the start of November.

Since former head coach Neil Harris left on 14 December, Millwall have had a bit of a mixed festive period under the leadership of an interim coaching team. They got a one-goal win over Blackburn Rovers on 21 December, but then lost to Norwich on a foggy Boxing Day.

The Lions had a tough first half at the Canaries' place, with goals from Emiliano Marcondes and Oscar Schwartau putting the hosts ahead. Romain Esse scored a consolation for the visitors in the second half.

Winning just one of their last eight second-tier matches as the final game of the 2024 schedule approaches on Sunday afternoon, Millwall are perched in 13th place in the Championship table, nine points ahead of the relegation zone and nine points behind Watford in sixth spot.

It's no surprise that the Lions have been struggling in the second tier this season. They've only won one out of 10 away games in the Championship, and that was back in October at Swansea City.

Recent Performance

Coventry City Championship form:DWLWLW

Millwall Championship form:DLLLWL

Team News

Coventry are managing without goalkeeper Ben Wilson over the festive season, as he recovers from a knee injury.The Sky Blues are also really missing Wright, their top scorer, who is still getting better from a leg injury he got a few months ago.

Millwall's medical room is pretty full at the moment, with young Aidomo Emakhu, who picked up a groin injury on Boxing Day, among the injured.

The 21-year-old is one of a bunch of Lions veterans on the treatment table, like Dan McNamara (leg) and the towering centre-back Jake Cooper (knee).

On loan from Middlesbrough for the 2024-25 campaign, Josh Coburn's progress at The Den has been set back by a broken foot sustained at the start of the festive period.

Possible starting lineup

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Dovin; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Latibeaudiere, Bidwell; Eccles, Sheaf; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Bassette

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Jensen; Leonard, Tanganga, Wallace, Bryan; De Norre, Saville, Azeez, Esse, Watmore; Ivanovic