Coventry vs Brighton Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Newly-promoted Coventry City have shown signs of competitiveness as they still seek their first point ahead of the visit of Brighton and Hove Albion to the midlands.

Kick-off date/time: 13 September 2026 at 2:00 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / USA – USA Network

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – DirecTV Stream

Coventry preview: Competitive but beaten

Frank Lampard and his Coventry City side come into this one on the back of a slender 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last weekend with the only goal being scored mid-way through the first half by Erling Haaland.

The Sky Blues were competitive in that match and perhaps unfortunate to have lost but time for much regret is passing by after they had started with a forgivable 3-0 loss to Arsenal before a 1-0 defeat at home to fellow newly-promoted outfit Hull City.

Brighton preview: Steady Seagulls

Fabian Hurzeler and his Brighton and Hove Albion side are gearing up to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League next week after The Seagulls began their season by beating Tromso by four goals to nil on aggregate in the play-off round.

That tie coincided with a 4-0 defeat of Aston Villa to kick off their Premier League campaign. They have since succumbed to an entertaining 4-3 loss away at Chelsea before a steady rescuing of a point at home to Leeds United last week.

Coventry team news: Back to a back four

Frank Lampard moved to a back three against City but there is an expectation that the hosts revert back to a 4-2-3-1 shape here, albeit Sidiki Cherif is a doubt so Loum Tchaouna is likelier to come back into the eleven.

As well as Cherif being a doubt, Coventry remain without centre-back Luke Woolfenden, full-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden and striker Haji Wright.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Pinnock, Dasilva; Yirenkyi, Grimes; Tchaouna, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Awoniyi

Unavailable: Woolfenden (Injured), Kesler-Hayden (Injured), Wright (Injured)

Questionable: Cherif (Injured)

Brighton team news: Several injuries

Brighton are dealing with several injury issues with Jack Hinshelwood and Kaoru Mitoma not expected back until after the international break now, alongside Yankuba Minteh.

Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari were described as possible ‘options’ last week, albeit only the latter was involved, while Michael Svoboda and Femi Azeez also missed out.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli; Gross, Ayari; Gomez, Yalcouye, De Cuyper; Kostoulas

Unavailable: Wieffer (Injured), Hinshelwood (Injured), Minteh (Injured), Mitoma (Fitness), Yohanna (Injured), Tzimas (Injured), Ferguson (Injured)

Questionable: Svoboda (Fitness), Azeez (Injured), Rutter (Fitness)

Coventry vs Brighton prediction

Home advantage is expected to be crucial for Coventry this season, having had the best home record in the second-tier last year. They blew a huge opportunity against a defensively tight Hull side a couple of weeks ago but the more possession-based proactivity of Brighton could suit them this time around. That said, Brighton, like most if not all of the rest of the top-flight, simply have more quality and while Cov may get their first goal this season, a first point still does feel fairly unlikely.

Coventry vs Brighton tip: Brighton to win & both teams to score