Coventry City get back to Championship action on Good Friday with Derby County the first of seven final games of what promises to be a sensational 2025/26 season.
The Sky Blues, who have lost on just two league occasions at home so far this season, have four more fixtures at the CBS Arena, starting with the Rams at the start of the Easter programme, which concludes at Hull on Bank Holiday Monday.
Frank Lampard, however, may have to wait until as late as possible this week before he knows what players he’ll have available as three are hoped to return from injury and several return from international duty. In all, he’s waiting on up to eight players to see whether they either recover from injury issues or come through international games fresh and unscathed.
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Jack Rudoni (calf) and Haji Wright (groin) were due to be back after the two week break while Brandon Thomas-Asante’s fitness remains unclear after he withdrew from Ghana’s camp with an unspecified injury following the 3-0 win at Swansea.
Elsewhere, Frank Onyeka is away with Nigeria (who were due to play Jordan today, Tues, March 31) but the biggest concern is long haul travellers Joel Latibeaudiere and Ephron Mason-Clark who are due to play the DR Congo (also Tues) in Mexico for a place in the World Cup finals this summer. Travelling time and jet-lag could be an issue ahead of Friday’s 8pm kick-off.
Meanwhile, Jay Dasilva could feature in a friendly for Wales against Northern Ireland tonight (Tues) while Romain Esse could feature for England Under-21s against Moldova.
Lampard will be keeping his fingers crossed that all come back unscathed.
Carl Rushworth will continue in goal behind a back four that should see Milan van Ewijk continue at right-back and Bobby Thomas just inside him in one of the central defensive berths. He was partnered by Latibeaudiere last time out but given the above circumstances, Lampard may consider restoring his partnership with Liam Kitching.
Assuming Dasilva returns fit, he is expected to continue at left-back, although Jake Bidwell is an alternative option.
Matt Grimes should be fresh to operate in midfield where Victor Torp could be brought back in depending on how many minutes Onyeka features for against Jordan. The Brentford loan man played just four minutes of last week’s 2-1 friendly win against Iran, played in Turkey, when he went on as a late substitute for Atletico Madrid’s Ademola Lookman. Josh Eccles is another option, although he may be required to operate further forward in the number ten role depending on the fitness of both Rudoni and Thomas-Asante.
In-form Tatsuhiro Sakamoto is almost certain to continue on the right of Lampard’s favourited 4-2-3-1 formation but, like Latibeaudiere, question marks remain regarding Mason-Clark’s freshness/fitness.
That means Romain Esse will be on standby to fill in on the left wing, while Jahnoah Markelo is also an option along with Yang Min-Hyeok, albeit the latter having slipped right down the pecking order and out of the matchday squad in recent weeks.
The big question is who will lead the line? Ellis Simms put in a strong display against Swansea and is likely to continue with Wright, if fit, ready to be eased back in off the bench if required on the night.
Predicted City team: Carl Rushworth; Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching (Latibeaudiere), Jay Dasilva; Matt Grimes, Victor Torp (Onyeka); Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Josh Eccles, Romain Esse (Mason-Clark); Ellis Simms.
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