Coventry City face a defensive crisis for their Premier League trip to Everton on Friday night, with multiple players ruled out. The Sky Blues, 16th in the table with nine points from nine games, must handle the absence of key personnel against an in-form Toffees side sitting seventh.

Aurele Amenda and Haji Wright are confirmed absentees for the visitors. Josh Eccles and Luke Woolfenden are also expected to remain sidelined, while Bobby Thomas and Frank Onyeka face late fitness tests. This leaves manager Mark Robins with significant selection headaches at the back ahead of the 8pm kick-off at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Branthwaite's Fitness Uncertainty

Everton's own main concern surrounds defender Jarrad Branthwaite. The centre-back was withdrawn after 82 minutes of Monday's 1-0 win over Newcastle United due to cramp. Manager David Moyes indicated a decision would be made late. "Yeah, we're just nursing [Branthwaite] along a wee bit, just checking to see he's okay, so we need to see how he is, yes," Moyes said.

Everton's Form and Grealish Absence

The hosts arrive on a strong run of two consecutive wins under new boss Frank Lampard, who faces Coventry for the first time since leaving Everton in 2023. They will again be without Jack Grealish, who has missed the last three matches due to a combination of disciplinary action and fitness issues. Moyes confirmed the player's continued unavailability but hinted at a future return. "Jack is not available. I wouldn't give you the plan, but we will be working with Jack again soon," he stated.

Coventry's recent form has been mixed, with two wins and two losses in their last four outings, a sequence you can review on our fixtures page. Their last result was a 3-1 home victory over Sunderland, with goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni. That win halted a slide but they remain 15 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal. The challenge at Everton represents a step up in quality, with the Merseyside club having beaten Newcastle twice in quick succession in league and cup. Coventry's task is made harder by their lengthy injury list, which is detailed on our injuries page. The match kicks off at 8pm on Friday, November 6.

The original report is at evertonfc.com