Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough facing same transfer issue - Coventry City may love it | OneFootball

Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough both failed to sign strikers in the winter transfer window, which hands Coventry City an advantage in the Championship

Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough's respective failings in the winter transfer window have handed Coventry City an advantage in the Championship title race.

Frank Lampard's men currently occupy top spot in the second tier, but are now level on points with second-place Boro, having endured successive defeats at the hands of Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers.

Meanwhile, Ipswich sit fourth, seven points adrift of both the league leaders and Kim Hellberg's side, but boast a game in hand, after seeing their trip to Portsmouth postponed for a second time this term.

Coventry will be eager to get their title bid back on track when they host relegation strugglers Oxford United this Saturday, whereas the Tractor Boys and Boro face Derby County and Sheffield United, respectively, this week.

Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough both failed to sign strikers in the transfer window, which must please Coventry City

Ipswich bolstered their squad in January with the additions of midfielder Dan Neil, who joined on loan from Sunderland, and attacking midfielder Anis Mehmeti, who signed on a permanent deal from Bristol City.

However, Kieran McKenna's side notably failed to sign a striker in the winter transfer window, even though they have been heavily reliant on wingers Jack Clarke and Jaden Philogene amid a lack of goals from frontmen.

Meanwhile, Phiologene has not featured since a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on 17 January, thanks to a knee injury, increasing the workload on Clarke's shoulders.

Ipswich had eyed a move for Newcastle's WIlliam Osula with their striker issues in mind, though a deal for the 22-year-old never materialised, leaving them short of attacking options.

Middlesbrough are in the same boat as the Tractor Boys, as their top scorer is attacking midfielder Morgan Whittaker, with strikers Tommy Conway and David Strelec struggling for consistency.

Boro were interested in Joel Piroe when the transfer window was open, but the former Swansea City man has remained at Leeds United, where he will contend with fellow forwards Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha for a place in Daniel Farke's starting 11.

Meanwhile, whereas Hellberg's side and Ipswich are short of clinical strikers, Coventry can rely on the services of Ellis Simms, Haji Wright, and Brandon Thomas-Asante, who have all notched double figures in the Championship this season.

The Sky Blues' current run of just two wins in their last seven second-tier fixtures doesn't suggest that they are set to beat either Middlesbrough or Ipswich to the title or automatic promotion.

However, with Simms, Wright, and Thomas-Asante on their side, Lampard's men have the firepower that can turn their current fortunes around and spearhead them all the way to the Premier League.

Coventry City must earn a victory over Oxford United as Championship promotion race heats up

The Sky Blues showed the extent of their firepower when they beat Championship title rivals Middlesbrough 4-2 in November, thanks to braces from Simms and Liam Kitching.

That comprehensive victory sent Lampard's men 10 points clear of Hellberg's side, but Coventry have let that lead slip to the mere margin of goal difference, leaving the CBS Arena faithful nervous that their club may no longer have what it takes to land an automatic promotion spot.

Therefore, to ease such fears, the Sky Blues simply have to beat relegation candidates Oxford this Saturday.

Lampard knows that he can rely on his strikers both this weekend and in all the remaining games of the season, whereas Ipswich and Middlesbrough have weaker frontlines at their disposal.