major events
8 minutes: Esse Motors moved down the left and his shot-cum-cross was buried by O’Donnell in the Derby goal. This is good bank-holiday entertainment.
7 minutes: Bannell briefly threatened to break into space down the inside-right channel, but Onyeka cleared him of the ball. However, Derby keep up the pressure, and Clarke forces his way through to the opposite channel, but his shot, half-swayed, is blocked by Thomas. The derby looks lively.
5 minutes: Brereton Diaz accelerates down the right side and earns a throw deep into Cove territory. Ward made a long throw, but then went short and the ball came back. He hits it dangerously at the near post, but Rushworth senses the intention and collects without any fuss. Both the teams seem to be in attacking mood.
3 minutes: However Coventry come straight back into the derby. Essé’s shot is blocked by Clarke, who bravely gets a leg out from close range. Then when the pair contest a high ball, Murkin gently pushes Sakamoto back. There is a huge call for a penalty, although this is more from the Coventry fans than the players. Fast start for the host team.
2 minutes: Van Ewijk has been waiting a long time for Sims. Clark stops. Esse then troubled Ward down the left and forced his first corner of the match. Coventry have scored 24 goals from set pieces this season, the best in the division… but that doesn’t mean anything.
Darby got the ball rolling. CBS Arena is roaring.
Teams are out! Coventry City wear all sky blue – a salute to Jimmy Hill – while Derby wear second-choice gray with orange trim. We’ll leave in a minute!
Derby boss John Eustace speaks to Sky. “We are really excited… We are playing against the best team in the league… We have nothing to lose… We know they are a top team whose top players are very well trained… What a great opportunity for us to show ourselves and see where it takes us… We have maintained the level… Have faith in our process… Our football is improving all the time… We are looking forward to each challenge and tonight is another challenge.”
Eustace also delivers some unpleasant news regarding Ryan Brewster. He suffered an injury against Birmingham and required surgery, so he will be out for the rest of the season.
COV manager Frank Lampard speaks to Sky Sports. “Focus on each game… keep the momentum going… the basics… everything we have been doing for some time now… stay calm… understand this league is very difficult… full focus from our side… a little rest… train well… be prepared… understand we are now at the end of the crunch… (the derby) will be really tough… we knew that earlier in the season… we know they are a good team… we have to be in it.”
To be fair, here’s what happened in this match last season. Once again, to our old friend PA Media, Esq.
Jerry Yates performed excellently and Derby beat Coventry 2–1 to get their first win. The forward scored the opener after 11 minutes and his strike deflected off Bobby Thomas after the break. Derby faced a potential late comeback from their hosts after Coventry pulled one back through Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.
That result led to the surprise sacking of Mark Robins, who had taken Coventry to the club’s second ever FA Cup final just a few months earlier.
If tonight’s game is even half as good as the reverse fixture played at Pride Park in August, we will be delighted. Here’s what happened, as reported by the ubiquitous journalist, Sri PA Media, on this very website.
Coventry produced a spectacular comeback to beat Derby 5–3 at Pride Park. The visitors, coached by former Derby manager Frank Lampard, secured a remarkable victory by scoring three times in the space of eight minutes.
The teams exchanged goals in the first half, with Derby twice coming from behind to equalize at the break before their captain Ebo Adams put them ahead. But after Brandon Thomas-Asante equalised, Efron Mason-Clark and Victor Torpe settled a thrilling match.
Coventry’s first goal was a matter of good fortune as Jakob Vidal Zetterstrom pounced on Matt Grimes’ low free-kick against Bobby Thomas and the ball went into the net in the seventh minute. There was nothing remotely fortunate about the equalizing goal five minutes later. David Ozoh won a free-kick on the left side of the penalty area and Callum Elder deflected his shot sharply into the top right corner.
Hadji Wright made no mistake when Coventry won a penalty in the 25th minute, but the home side equalized in first-half extra time after Thomas handled a cross and Carlton Morris coolly rolled in the penalty.
Derby were ahead five minutes into the second half. Adams received a long throw in who fired a low shot into the bottom corner from 10 yards, but the game turned again as Coventry scored twice in the space of four minutes. In the 72nd minute, Thomas tried another long throw in front of the post and Thomas-Asante cleared the ball over the line.
Three minutes later Derby were caught cold when Milan van Ewijk came in from the right and crossed for Mason-Clark to head in at the back post. Four minutes later Coventry had a fifth, with Torpe given space just inside the area to fire a low shot past the left post and give the visitors their first derby win in 11 matches.
Coventry have made three changes to their starting line-up after the 3-0 win at Swansea a fortnight ago. Romain Essé, Liam Kitching and Josh Eccles come in place of Efron Mason-Clark, who moves to the bench, and Joel Latibaudier and Brandon Thomas-Assante miss out entirely (the former rested, the latter hamstrung).
Derby also made three changes after their 1-0 win over Birmingham City two weeks ago. David Ozoh, Carlton Morris and Jayden Bannell come in for Patrick Agyemang, who drops to the bench, and the injured duo of Sammy Szmodics and Rhian Brewster.
the teams
Coventry City: Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, DeSilva, Grimes, Onyeka, Sakamoto, Eccles, Essay, Sims.
Subs: Wilson, Rudoni, Mason-Clark, Wright, Kessler-Hayden, Bidwell, Markello, Woolfenden, Overgaard.
Derby County: O’Donnell, Ward, Sanderson, Clarke, Murkin, Bunnell, Travis, Clarke, Brereton Diaz, Morris, Ozoh.
Subs: Forsyth, Bath, Agyemang, Liam Thompson, Frollo, Gordon, Allen, Smith, Price.
Ref: Tom Neald (West Yorkshire).
Preface
The first results today in the Championship haven’t been too bad for Coventry City. Millwall won 2–1 at Middlesbrough, while Hull City were held to a 1–1 draw at Oxford United, and so on…
…Frank Lampard’s side have the opportunity to extend the lead that stood at nine points this morning to a very comfortable 11. They would then need only eight points from their remaining six fixtures to guarantee Premier League membership next season.
But this is not a phrase. Derby have been running hot and cold – they have won six and lost four of their last ten in the Championship – but four of those wins have come in the last five. A campaign that started with the Rams flailing around the lower reaches has picked up some serious momentum, and a play-off finish is now very close. So both of these famous Midlands clubs have a lot to play for tonight. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
