Doug King will hope double Sheffield United weapon do not come back to haunt Coventry City | OneFootball

Coventry City's meeting with Sheffield United this weekend will see two familiar faces return to the CBS Arena

Coventry City owner Doug King will be hoping this weekend’s clash with Sheffield United doesn’t involve two of the club’s former players doing damage to the team’s promotion hopes.

The Sky Blues sold Gustavo Hamer to the Blades in 2023 and lost Callum O’Hare to the Yorkshire outfit as a free agent earlier this year.

The pair have proven key players in Chris Wilder’s side so far this season, with O’Hare being the only one in the entire squad to feature in all 15 of their opening league games.

Their ambition will be to fight for automatic promotion to the Premier League this year and justify moving away from the CBS Arena in the pursuit of greater ambitions.

They can take a satisfying step towards that goal this weekend by piling on the misery of their former club on Saturday.

Coventry City’s difficult season so far

Hamer made the switch to Sheffield United in a deal worth £15 million, according to The Athletic.

It was a deal that made sense for the Brazilian, who was entering the final 12 months of his Coventry contract, as it offered him the chance to compete in the Premier League last season.

But relegation from the top flight didn’t stop O’Hare from turning down a deal to stay with the Sky Blues in order to jump ship to Bramall Lane.

This was a riskier decision that could have easily backfired, but the midfielder will take some satisfaction from the fact his new club are second in the table before their visit to the CBS Arena, while Coventry are managerless and 17th.

While both players have earned the right to a positive reception, supporters will feel a lot of disappointment to see them lining up for the opposition in the Championship.

If they then turn up and put on the kind of performance Coventry fans know they're capable of, contributing to an away victory, then it will only further dampen the mood around the club.

The fanbase were disappointed with the decision to part ways with Mark Robins, and results haven't exactly been the best in recent weeks either, so this match could have a big impact on the support at the CBS Arena.

The Sky Blues themselves went into this campaign harbouring promotion ambitions, and having players like O’Hare and Hamer could’ve potentially prevented the slide in form they instead suffered, ultimately leading to Robins’ departure.

King’s decision to cash in on Hamer and his inability to oversee a contract extension for O’Hare could come back to haunt him this weekend, as both are likely to feature for the Blades.

Another defeat will further dent their top-six hopes and show that both players were entirely justified in their decision to leave, while potentially damaging the owner's relationship with the fans even further.

Conversely, a victory could have a real galvanising effect on the club as a whole, and show that there is still something to be salvaged from the campaign.

Managerless Coventry have added motivation for Sheffield United clash

It remains to be seen whether Coventry will have a manager appointed by the time Sheffield United visit the CBS Arena.

It’s looking increasingly unlikely given how little time remains between now and kick-off, although Frank Lampard does appear to be the frontrunner, based on reports from Sky Sports.

Coventry will be extra motivated to show what they’re capable of this weekend if they are in front of a prospective new manager.

The presence of O’Hare and Hamer will also add incentive to perform at their best, as victory over the Blades would be very uplifting for morale.

King will be hoping his team puts in their strongest performance of the campaign, if even just to provide some short-term relief in what has been a difficult period for the club on the pitch.