+1.30 points a game is the venue form gap, in Coventry City's favour: Coventry City takes 2.25 a game at home over the last two seasons, Newcastle United 0.95 away.
Coventry City: 50 league matches in the bank, 5 from this season and the rest from last season in the Championship. Newcastle United: 43 league matches in the bank, 5 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Coventry City -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 0, drew 0, lost 2 of 2, scoring 0 and conceding 6. Last season at home in the Championship: won 17, drew 3, lost 2 of 22, scoring 51 and conceding 19 -- 2.45 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 away; lost to Brighton & Hove Albion 0-5 at home; lost to Manchester City 0-1 away; lost to Hull City 0-1 at home; lost to Arsenal 0-3 away.
The dugout
Every one of the 33 banked matches with a manager recorded was taken by Frank Lampard. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Newcastle United -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 1, drew 0, lost 1 of 2, scoring 3 and conceding 4. Last season away: won 4, drew 5, lost 10 of 19, scoring 17 and conceding 25 -- 0.89 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Hull City 2-1 at home; lost to Leeds United 1-4 away; drew with AFC Bournemouth 2-2 at home; beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 away; drew with Liverpool 2-2 at home.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 2 different managers took its 43 matches with one recorded (38, 5 apiece), most recently Matthias Jaissle with 5. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 17:31 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.