The best combined Coventry City, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town XI | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at the best combined XI from the Coventry, Middlesbrough, and Ipswich squads

Coventry City, Middlesbrough, and Ipswich Town look to be the three favourites for automatic promotion from the EFL Championship this season, as FLW puts together the best combined XI from those sides.

Heading into their home clash with Middlesbrough, Coventry City had won just two out of their last eight league games, slipping behind their opponents in the league table, though a 3-1 victory saw Frank Lampard's side retake their place at the summit of the table. This completed Coventry's double over Boro, having defeated them 4-2 at the Riverside earlier this campaign.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town completed the double over Coventry this campaign, despite the Tractor Boys remaining some way off the Sky Blues in the table for the majority of the season, whilst Middlesbrough emerged as 2-1 victors over McKenna's side on Teesside back in October.

The three favourites for automatic promotion have proven that they can topple one another on their day, and being the three favourites naturally means they have the three best squads.

Though Millwall and Hull City will have something to say about that, FLW has taken a closer look at each squad and put together its view of the best combined starting XI, with some big names naturally missing out.

Carl Rushworth

One of the outstanding keepers in the division this season, Carl Rushworth has been everything Coventry fans could have asked for and more since his loan switch from Brighton and Hove Albion this summer.

Deputising for the injured Oliver Dovin, Rushworth has kept the second-most clean sheets in the Championship this season, behind only Charlton Athletic’s Thomas Kaminski.

The England youth international likely won’t be playing in the second tier for much longer, and beats Sol Brynn to the number one position for this best combined 11.

Leif Davis

Signed from Leeds United for a minimal fee of £1.2 million back in July 2022, whilst the club was still in League One, Ipswich left-back Leif Davis has proven to be one of Ipswich's best bits of business in the modern era.

The Geordie played an integral role in the Tractor Boys' rise from the third tier all the way to the Premier League, and continued to play a major part in the top flight after many of his teammates in the previous two divisions had been replaced.

Davis has remained as McKenna's first-choice option at left-back ever since, and though his creativity numbers have dropped since the last time he was in the division, the 26-year-old is still the Championship's outstanding left-back, and beats both Matt Targett and Jay Dasilva to a place in this side.

Bobby Thomas

Bobby Thomas has been one of the standout defenders in the Championship for the past few seasons, having cemented his place in the heart of Coventry’s defence since his permanent switch from Burnley in the summer of 2023.

With each of Luke Woolfenden, Joel Latibeaudiere, and Liam Kitching for competition, it has been Thomas more often than not who has paired one or the other.

The Englishman drew interest from both Premier League sides Everton and West Ham as recently as January, though the Sky Blues stood firm with their stance on Thomas, and are looking to fire themselves back to the top flight with him as a key component from the back.

Dara O'Shea

Having moved from his native Ireland to join West Brom in 2017, Dara O'Shea progressed through the Baggies' ranks before becoming a key figure in the heart of their defence at the Hawthorns.

He made the move to Burnley for £7 million in the summer of 2023, following their promotion to the Premier League, and then to Ipswich the summer after that, who had also just been promoted to the top flight, this time for £15 million.

Following the Tractor Boys' relegation, whilst Jacob Greaves has seen his playing time slashed, O'Shea has remained as McKenna's undisputed first-choice in central defence, often partnering fellow former Baggie Cedric Kipre, who also was in with a shout of making it into this side, but it is the Irish international who rightfully earns his place alongside Thomas.

Milan Van Ewijk

One of the most difficult positions to pick in this combined side, it is Dutch wing-back Milan Van Ewijk, who just edged out Callum Brittain into this side.

The 25-year-old has been the Sky Blues’ first-choice option at right-back since joining in the summer of 2023 from Heerenveen, and has arguably been the division's most outstanding player in that position since.

Brittain has been immense since his move to The Riverside from Blackburn Rovers in the summer, with Alan Browne also having a strong argument for a place in this side, but it is Van Ewijk who just about edges them out.

Hayden Hackney

Probably the league's most outstanding midfielder, and arguably most outstanding player, Hayden Hackney is almost certainly playing his final few months as a Championship player.

A product of the Boro youth system, Hackney has become an absolutely integral figure in his boyhood club's side, stringing together the transition between attack and defence, whilst oozing class whenever he’s on the ball.

He has formed an impressive partnership alongside Aidan Morris in the middle of the park, and having managed to fend off interest from numerous Premier League sides, it’s only a matter of time before Hackney finds himself in the top flight, whether that’s with Middlesbrough or someone else.

Matt Grimes

One of the most consistent players in the Championship over the past six years, Matt Grimes has continued his exceptional record of availability after his move to Coventry from Swansea City in January 2025.

Since Swansea’s relegation from the Premier League in 2018, Grimes has missed just four league games, earning the reputation of one of the division's most consistent operators.

However, it’s not just his availability which earns him a spot in the side, with his ability to drop deep, spray long-range passes about and control the tempo of a game integral to the success of Frank Lampard’s side this season.

Frank Onyeka, whilst he could very well also have been included in this side, has not racked up nearly as many games as Grimes has in the division, and it would be a complete disservice to leave the 30-year-old out.

Jaden Philogene

A toss-up between himself and teammate Jack Clarke, Jaden Philogene just about edges the former Sunderland and Leeds winger into this XI.

Whilst Clarke has been slightly more prolific this campaign, few would question Philogene's talent, with the 24-year-old's technical ability second to none in the second tier.

It's surprising at this stage that the Englishman has not earned more minutes in the Premier League, though he will be hoping to change that next season, with his eyes no doubt set on a return to the top flight with Ipswich, as he narrowly edges out teammate Clarke and Coventry winger Mason-Clark.

Jack Rudoni

It has not been the season that Jack Rudoni would have been hoping for, having come off the back of a campaign where he netted nine goals and 12 assists in 43 league appearances.

Injuries have disrupted the 24-year-old’s flow, though only a fool would discount his undoubted ability and importance to Lampard’s side, and he will likely play a crucial role in the latter stages of the campaign as Coventry eye the title.

There is a lack of quality number tens in these sides, with only Brandon Thomas-Asante providing any real competition for Rudoni for a place in the side. Though if it’s a question between the two teammates, Rudoni just about pips ahead of the Ghanaian international.

Morgan Whittaker

Playing off the right, Morgan Whittaker’s Boro career hasn’t been straightforward, with the former Swansea and Plymouth Argyle forward having only recently found his feet on Teesside.

Whittaker joined Boro in January 2025 for a potential fee of £7.5 million from Plymouth, though it took him 10 months to net his first goal for the club. Since then, he has seemingly gotten up to speed and has once again cemented himself as one of the league's most dangerous attackers.

Whittaker just about beats Coventry winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto for a place in the side, with the former England youth international’s output in the final third doing just about enough to beat the twice-capped Japanese into the side.