Coventry City are defying expectations in the Championship this season as Preston North End arrive

In only their second season in the Championship, since securing their last promotion to this level, the Sky Blues could end up with something to say about who gets promoted to the Premier League.

They were early pace-setters this season and have largely kept up with their impressive start.

They are currently ninth in the table but are just three points from being back in the play-off places and have won three of their last four games.

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe is under no illusions about the test that Coventry present to his side and is full of respect for Saturday’s hosts.

He said: “Coventry are in form, they are a good team, playing some good stuff.

“They score plenty of goals, they concede goals like a lot of teams do.

“They are well drilled, well coached, they have done fantastic in the last two seasons they’ve been in the Championship.

“Mark Robins has done a fantastic job there, they are back in their home stadium, which is nice to see.

“We know it will be a tough encounter but it is one we are looking forward to.”

The Swede is their top scorer so far this season with 12 in the league and flew out of the blocks at the start of the campaign, netting nine times by October.

Goals have dried up for him since, and he went on a 10-game goalless run, but him finding the net again more regularly could be the key to Coventry’s promotion push.

If not the 23-year-old former Brighton and Hove Albion man, then Matt Godden knows where the net is.

He also has double figures for goals this season as well as Gyokeres.

Their chief creative threat is record signing Gustavo Hamer, who offers tenacity in the middle of midfield.

Now at the Coventry Building Society Arena – formerly the Ricoh – the Sky Blues are back at their home ground.

In the past they have played at Northampton Town’s Sixfields and Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s.

They have found good home form and in their defence last season, despite playing at St Andrew’s, they did find home comforts in the Midlands.

Huge credit must go to manager Robins who has steered them from League Two to the top end of the Championship – despite so much unrest behind the scenes. They have twice recorded wins under the Wembley arch, one of those securing promotion and another the EFL Trophy.

PNE have lost just one of their last 17 meetings with Coventry and are unbeaten in their last eight.

They have won each of their last five games against Saturday’s hosts and a win may just get the Lilywhites’ faithful talking about their own play-off push once again.

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