Preview

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Sports Mole previews Tuesday's EFL Cup clash between Coventry City and Oxford United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

It will be an all-Championship affair at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Tuesday evening, as Coventry City welcome Oxford United in the second round of this season's EFL Cup.

The two sides are meeting for the second time already this season, with Coventry recording a 3-2 victory when the pair locked horns in the Championship on August 16.

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Match preview

Coventry famously won the FA Cup in 1987, but they have never lifted the League Cup, so there is history on offer in the competition for the club this season.

The Sky Blues recorded a 1-0 victory over Bristol City in the first round of the 2024-25 League Cup, while they are three games into their Championship campaign, picking up four points to sit eighth in the table.

Mark Robins's side suffered a 1-0 loss to Stoke City in their league opener on August 10, but they then recorded a 3-2 victory over Oxford United on home soil, before drawing 1-1 with Bristol City on Saturday afternoon.

Coventry fell behind in the latter stages of the first half against Bristol City, but they levelled the scores in the 76th minute through Kasey Palmer, and it proved to be a welcome point at Ashton Gate.

The Sky Blues can certainly take heart from their win over Oxford earlier this season, but it was an incredibly tight affair, with the game's deciding goal coming in the 96th minute through Haji Wright.

Oxford United opened their 2024-25 Championship campaign with a 2-0 success over Norwich City on August 10, before beating Peterborough United 2-0 in the first round of the EFL Cup three days later.

Des Buckingham's side have lost their last two matches, though, following the 3-2 defeat to Coventry with a 2-1 reverse against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon.

Oxford United have three points to show from their first three games of the season to sit 12th in the table, and they will continue their Championship season at home to Preston North End on August 31.

The U's have actually won the League Cup, lifting the trophy in 1986 courtesy of a 3-0 success over Queens Park Rangers in the final of the competition at Wembley Stadium.

Oxford United suffered a 6-2 defeat to Coventry in the FA Cup last season, and they have only managed to triumph in one of the last five meetings between the two sides in all competitions.

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Team News

Coventry will be without the services of two players on Tuesday through injury, with Ben Sheaf and Raphael Borges Rodrigues unavailable for selection.

There will be changes to the side that started against Bristol City in the Championship on Saturday, with Palmer set to be introduced alongside the likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ephron Mason-Clark.

Head coach Robins is also set to change his goalkeeper for this match, with Ben Wilson, who started in the first round of the competition, expected to be introduced between the sticks.

As for Oxford United, Will Goodwin remains unavailable for selection due to an ankle problem, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape ahead of this second-round EFL Cup fixture.

There will be changes to the side that started against Blackburn, with Josh McEachran, Matt Ingram and Jordan Thorniley set to be among the starters against Coventry.

Ruben Rodrigues should start through the middle for the visitors, while Tyler Goodrham is expected to operate in a wide position for Buckingham's team.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Wilson; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Eccles, Torp; Tavares, Palmer, Mason-Clark; Thomas-Asante

Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Ingram; Kioso, Long, Thorniley, Leigh; Phillips, Sibley, McEachran, El Mizouni, Goodrham; Rodrigues

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We say: Coventry City 2-0 Oxford United

There will be a number of changes to both sides from their weekend fixtures, which makes this a difficult game to call, but we are expecting Coventry to secure their spot in the third round of the competition with a routine home success over their fellow Championship outfit.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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