Rotherham United vs Coventry City Prediction: The home side are six points from safety in the relegation zone and three points from this game can benefit their cause

Rotherham United will welcome Coventry City at New York Stadium in Game Week 13 of the English Championship. The home side are six points from safety in the relegation zone and three points from this game can benefit their cause. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Though Rotherham was considered likely to be relegated before the season, Matt Taylor, their manager, would have expected better results at this point. Despite their recent 1-1 draw with Southampton, Taylor would not have predicted a six-point gap between them and 21st place in the league. The postponement of their match against Ipswich Town due to a waterlogged pitch caused by Storm Babet further complicated their situation. The Millers will have had an 18-day break from competitive fixtures before playing on Wednesday, which, although providing rest, may leave them lacking match sharpness. With only five points from their home matches, Rotherham must find a way to improve their season and avoid falling further behind in the relegation battle. 

Fred Onyedinma will hope to keep his place in the Rotherham XI after recovering from calf issues. Jordan Hugill is expected to be brought back into the team after scoring the equalizer in the last match, while Sam Nombe may be moved to the substitutes' bench. Dexter Lembikisa is predicted to feature at right-back after having more time to recover from international duty with Jamaica.

The potential starting lineup for Rotherham United is Johansson; Lembikisa, Peltier, Hall, Bramall; Onyedinma, Tiehi, Cafu, Rathbone, Green; Hugill.

Meanwhile, Coventry's campaign took a disappointing turn with their 1-0 loss to Bristol City over the weekend. Prior to this defeat, they had only won three out of twelve matches in the second tier of English football during the 2023-24 season. Although they had a four-game unbeaten streak, the majority of their matches resulted in draws. Despite the struggles of the bottom three teams, Coventry remains seven points clear of the relegation zone. However, it is crucial for them to avoid falling more than four points behind the playoff spots. Winning their next fixture is a priority for Coventry, as they have high expectations for the game.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins plans to make changes to his side after their goalless draw against Bristol City. Haji Wright could return in place of Ellis Simms, and Yasin Ayari is expected to be back in a creative-midfield role. There is also a possibility of Jamie Allen returning to the squad after a minor calf issue.

As for Coventry City, the possible starting lineup is Wilson; Thomas, McFadzean, Binks; Van Ewijk, Eccles, Sheaf, Dasilva; Ayari; Godden, Wright.

Both teams view this match as crucial for their season aspirations. Rotherham's confidence has been boosted by their draw with Southampton, but Coventry is believed to possess better quality and is expected to prevail in the later stages of the game. We expect a low scoring affair at New York Stadium with under 2.5 goals in the game.