Team News:
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is back in training. Richard Brindley remains doubtful following the knee injury picked up against Accrington.
Harry Taylor remains out following the broken metatarsal he sustained away to Chesterfield. Elliott Johnson’s (knee) and Dave Tarpey’s (knee) recoveries are progressing well, but they are still some time away from being match fit.
Last Time We Met:
The first ever competitive meeting between the two sides was played out in front of the Sky Sports cameras back in October, but the game finished 0-0.
The first half was a very tight affair, with neither side being able to break down the other. Coventry came out stronger after the break, but Craig Ross stood firm to everything thrown at him.
The pick of the bunch from the Bees ‘keeper came late on, Liam Kelly found space and let fly from 20 yards but Ross produced an excellent diving save away to his left.
Manager:
After a playing career in which he scored over 100 goals in nearly 400 appearances in the Football League, Mark Robins’ first steps into management came with former side Rotherham United in 2007.
He initially took over as caretaker manager and led the Millers to three wins from six games, moving the club off the bottom of the League One table, and was subsequently made the permanent manager shortly after.
A late dip in his first season denied the club an unlikely promotion, and in his second year in charge, the club were hit with a 17-point deduction before he moved on to fellow Yorkshire side Barnsley in 2009.
Taking over with the club at the bottom of the table, Robins guided them nine points clear of the drop zone and on a run of eight games unbeaten, finishing in 18th place.
The 47-year old joined the Sky Blues in 2012 and soon became a fan-favourite, catapulting them up the league from relegation candidates to playoff contenders. He led the club to the Area Final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and had the highest win percentage of any manager in the club’s history with 52.5% at the time of his departure.
Robins left for Huddersfield Town in February 2013, guiding the club to safety on the final day of the season after a 2-2 draw against former side Barnsley. A two-year spell at Scunthorpe United followed, before a return to the Sky Blues.
Dangerman:
Marc McNulty is the Sky Blue that Bees fans should keep an eye out for.
The 25-year-old Scot has scored 17 goals in 37 games this season across all competitions, as well as registering 3 assists.
His career started in his homeland and he scored 46 goals in just 96 appearances for Livingston during a five-year spell.
Sheffield United then came calling, but he would then be loaned to Portsmouth. At Pompey, the forward scored ten goals.
A loan at Bradford City would be less successful, only scoring 1 goal in 16 matches for the Bantams.
However, he has found his feet at Coventry having joined in the summer.
Last Time Out:
Marc McNulty’s 82nd minute penalty was the only goal in the Sky Blues victory at Wycombe Wanderers last month.
It was a very even match, with both sides sharing the possession stats but the Sky Blues’ only shot on target proved to be the winner.
El-Abd brought down Bayliss in the area, McNulty stepped up and gave Brown now chance from the spot.
Connections:
Coventry goalkeeper Liam O’Brien joined The Sky Blues in July 2017 from Portsmouth. Barnet signed O’Brien, also from Portsmouth, in 2011, making 21 league appearances in two years at the club. He’s gone on to make nine appearances in all competitions so far this season, keeping two clean sheets.
Ticket info:
Ticket information can be found here.
Keep up with the game:
Full match commentary from every game is available on iFollow. If you are based outside of the UK & Ireland, you can watch the game live on iFollow.
You can also get live match updates on Twitter throughout the afternoon. We are also on Facebook and will go behind the scenes on our Instagram.
