By CovSid67
February 24 2009

Head-To-Head, Recent Form, Team News, and the Latest Betting Odds, ahead of tonight's Coventry-Blackburn clash.

Head-To-Head: Coventry have beaten Blackburn 16 times (Fourteen in the league), with Blackburn winning 13 of their fixtures against Coventry (Eleven in the league), and there have been six drawn fixtures (Five in the league). Coventry are unbeaten in their last seven games against Blackburn, winning four times (With three of those victories coming at Ewood Park!), and drawing three. Blackburn's last victory away at Coventry was a 2-0 win in the 92/93 season. Coventry City's 5-0 victory in the 95/96 season, only Coventry's second league win of the season, came after a half-hour phone conversation between the then assistant manager Gordon Strachan and yours truly. Coincidence? I think not....

Recent Form: Coventry City have lost twice in their last thirteen matches, at home to Cardiff, and away to Derby. Blackburn went on a nine-match unbeaten run following Sam Allardyce's appointment, but have lost two out of their last three fixtures, against Aston Villa and Manchester United - though it should have been three! They did impress against Manchester United at the weekend, and had it not been for some slightly dodgy refereeing, including not sending off Ronaldo for two yellow card offences in two minutes, and not awarding a blatant penalty, might have left Old Trafford with at least a point.

Cup Form: Coventry City's home record in cup matches against Premiership opposition since being relegated is less than convincing, managing only one draw in six matches: 2001/2: 0-2 v Chelsea, League Cup; 2001/2: 0-2 v Tottenham, F.A. Cup; 2003/4: 0-3 v Tottenham, League Cup; 2005/6: 1-1 v Middlesboro, F.A. Cup (Lost replay 0-1); 2007/8: 1-2 v West Ham, League Cup; 2008/9: 2-3 v Newcastle, League Cup.

Team News: Leon McKenzie is definitely out for Coventry City, as is the suspended Scott Dann, while David Bell is cup-tied. Dan Fox is nursing knee-knock, but will hopefully be fit to play. Elliott Ward will replace Dann. Blackburn's poor league position will hopefully result in them sending out a weakened side against Coventry, though there are still some decent players amongst their second XI (Which should have included Matt Derbyshire, but he has been loaned out to Olympiakos, though was surely worth enquiring about for CCFC if BR were looking to give him first team experience elsewhere?).

Betting Odds: Blackburn start this fixture as slight favourites with Ladbrokes, at 7/5 to win, with Coventry at 6/4 (9/4 the draw), while William Hill have both sides at 6/4 (21/10 the draw). Betfair and Bet365 both have Coventry City at a best priced 2/1 to win. Santa Cruz, Eastwood, Morrison, and Best are Ladbrokes favourites for first goal-scorer, at 6/1, with Benedict McCarthy at 7/1. Dan Fox is a decent priced 25/1 to score first (Ladbrokes), while Scott Dann, suspended for this fixture, is not so good at 25/1!

Ticket News: Coventry City and Blackburn fans can pay on the gate (Cash only!) at the Ricoh Arena, with ticket prices set at £20 for adults and £10 for concessions. Kick-off is at 7.45.

Trivia: Blackburn defender Gael Givet wears eye-liner. Allegedly.