Coventry v Port Vale preview

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Tony Mowbray vowed to give all his players a chance as he prepares to take charge of Coventry for the first time when Port Vale visit.

The new Sky Blues boss replaced Steven Pressley this week and watched their 1-0 defeat at Barnsley on Tuesday.

Reda Johnson, Jordan Willis and James Maddison remain out for Mowbray though.

Conor Thomas has returned to training but the midfielder will not be risked at the Ricoh on Saturday.

Vale manager Rob Page must decide whether to make any changes against his former club.

Page, who played for Coventry between 2005 and 2008, has named the same team for the last four matches but saw them lose at home to Oldham on Tuesday night – the defeat coming after three straight wins.

Should he opt to tweak things, the former Wales international defender can call on the likes of Adam Yates, Ryan McGivern, Chris Birchall, Louis Dodds, Chris Lines and the fit again Colin Daniel. However, any changes would be minimal.

Such is the competition for places among the Valiants that Achille Campion and Richard Duffy have failed to even make the matchday squad recently.

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Coventry v Port Vale preview

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Coventry defender Dan Seaborne will miss Sunday’s home clash with Port Vale through suspension.

Seaborne was sent off in the first half of Coventry’s 4-2 defeat to Gillingham and serves a one-match ban.

On-loan QPR winger Michael Petrasso has agreed a loan extension until the end of the season and will be available.

Sky Blues skipper Carl Baker made his comeback from injury as a substitute at Priestfield and is expected to return to the starting line-up.

Port Vale manager Micky Adams will check on his leading scorer Tom Pope ahead of the trip to Sixfields to face Coventry.

Pope played the full match on Tuesday night as Vale lost 2-0 at home to Leyton Orient but he has since missed training through illness. Adams hopes his 14-goal striker will overcome the stomach bug and be fit for Sunday’s game.

If Pope does not make it Louis Dodds or Jordan Hugill may come into the starting line-up, while the likes of Dan Jones, Chris Lines, Jack Grimmer and Billy Knott provide options for Adams in defence and midfield.

Four defeats in the last five games has seen Vale’s play-off hopes fade in recent weeks.