Coventry City suffer double injury blow as star men out against Birmingham

Coventry City have suffered a major personnel blow with the news that two key players are missing for today’s big West Midlands derby with Birmingham at the CBS Arena.

The Sky Blues are without star midfielder Jack Rudoni, who is understood to be injured, as well as winger Ephron Mason-Clark - who sat out last week’s game against Leicester with a hamstring issue - to face Blues at home.

That means Josh Eccles comes into the side for Rudoni while Brandon Thomas-Asante continues to deputise for Mason-Clark out wide on the left.

Elsewhere, Carl Rushworth continues in goal for Frank Lampard’s side which keeps a settled back four of Milan van Ewijk and Jay Dasilva at full-back, either side of central defensive pairing Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching.

Matt Grimes will operate in his deep central midfield role with Victor Torp given licence to get forward more. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto starts in his natural wide right position with striker Thomas-Asante on the opposite flank.

Eccles, who is lacking match minutes and only returned from almost four months out injured last weekend when he got 14 minutes from the bench, is expected to play in the number ten role behind leading scorer Haji Wright up front.

Ellis Simms provides striking back-up from the bench which also sees the return of Kaine Kesler-Hayden from an ankle injury.

City: Carl Rushworth; Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, Jay Dasilva; Matt Grimes, Victor Torp; Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Josh Eccles, Brandon Thomas-Asante; Haji Wright.

Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Luke Woolfenden, Jake Bidwell, Miguel Angel Brau, Jamie Allen, Ellis Simms, Kai Andrews, Joel Latibeaudiere.

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