Key events
Manchester United’s Amad Diallo is rooting for his former club Sunderland tonight. He wrote on X: “I want to wish Good luck to Sunderland for the semis.”
The 22-year-old was on loan at Sunderland during the 2022–23 season where he played 42 matches in all competitions.
Here are some of Opta’s pre-match stats:
Sunderland are winless across each of their last 13 away games against Coventry in all competitions (D5 L8), since a 1-0 victory at Highfield Road in the top-flight in April 1985, while they’ve failed to score in three of their last four visits.
Coventry have won seven of their last eight home league games (L1), including a 3-0 win over Sunderland. Since Frank Lampard’s first game in charge of the club in late November, only Leeds United and Bristol City (both 36) have picked up more points at home in the Championship than the Sky Blues (35).
Coventry have previously featured in the EFL play-offs twice, in 2017-18 in League Two and 2022-23 in the Championship. Across their six matches in total, the Sky Blues remain unbeaten (W3 D3), failing to earn promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 Championship play-off final on penalties against Luton Town.
This will be the ninth time that Sunderland have ended the season in the EFL play-offs, doing so in four of their last five league campaigns. Across their prior eight semi-final ties, the Black Cats have won just one of their eight away legs (D2 L5), a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in 1989-90.
How do things stand in the other semi-final, you ask? Well, last night Sheffield United took a huge step towards Wembley with a 3-0 win at Bristol City last night.
Ben Fisher was at Ashton Gate where he reported:
United arrived into this tie with a wretched record, too, having failed to prevail in any of their previous nine playoff campaigns. Wilder was on the books of the Blades when their hoodoo began in a relegation playoff defeat against City in 1987-88. “I don’t think half of our players were born,” Wilder said, smiling.
United saw an early goal dubiously disallowed for offside against Sydie Peck, after Tyrese Campbell thought he had opened the scoring having latched on to Kieffer Moore’s flick from the captain Jack Robinson’s long throw. United’s players had begun celebrating in their numbers when the assistant referee raised his flag on the far side. One away supporter was ejected for letting off a flare, his evening in the West Country over inside a dozen minutes.
United had a couple more chances before taking the lead from the spot approaching the interval, Campbell and Moore both fluffing their lines.
Louise Taylor’s preview looks at the history between these two sides and how they have evolved under Lampard and Le Bris respectively.
Although they have been in a form of limbo since sealing a playoff place in early April, a significant improvement will be required if Sunderland are to overcome a Coventry side reborn under Frank Lampard’s management in Friday night’s semi-final first leg in the Midlands.
When Lampard succeeded Mark Robins in November they were 17th; now Wembley and, potentially, the Premier League beckon. Two years ago, a Coventry team featuring Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres in attack fell at the last, losing the playoff final to Luton on penalties. Now Sunderland must contend with one of the game’s rising stars in Jack Rudoni.
Team news
Coventry XI (4-2-3-1): Wilson; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Sheaf, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright; Thomas-Asante
Subs: Collins, Latibeaudiere, Binks, Paterson, Allen, Mason-Clark, Simms, Eccles, Bidwell
Sunderland XI (4-2-3-1): Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin; Bellingham, Neil; Roberts, Le Fee, Mayenda; Isidor
Subs: Moore, Browne, Rigg, Samed, Seelt, Mepham, Hjelde, Watson, Jones
Referee: John Busby
Preamble
Hello and welcome to that time of the year again: the Championship playoffs. Tonight is the first leg of the second semi-final with Coventry hosting Sunderland at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The two teams finished fifth and fourth in the table respectively and while Sunderland may have been seven points clear of Coventry, it is Frank Lampard’s side who will going in to this tie in better form. Régis Le Bris will hope to guide his side back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017 but they have not recorded a win since early April.
So much on the line. Join me for team news and buildup before the 8pm BST kick-off. And, as always, feel free to send me an email with your thoughts, questions, predictions, complaints and pre-playoff rituals. I want to hear it all!
