Coventry City

Ipswich Town will need to defeat a formidable Coventry City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) if they are to regain a place inside the top six.

The Tractor Boys are currently just one point outside the play-off places but now have the unenviable task of welcoming the league leaders, who are 10 points ahead of the pack.

With Ipswich the joint-second highest scorers in the league (30) and the Sky Blues making history with their scoring prowess (50), this one could be electric should it live up to its billing.

• Ipswich have won four of their last six league games against Coventry (D1 L1), doing the double over the Sky Blues when they last faced in 2023-24.

• Coventry have won two of their last four away league games against Ipswich (L2), more than they had in their previous 27 visits to Portman Road (D8 L18).

• Ipswich have lost just one of their nine home league games this season (W4 D4), going down 3-0 against Charlton Athletic in October.

• Since Frank Lampard's first game in charge on 30th November 2024, Coventry have scored more league goals than any other side in England's top four tiers (92), while only Birmingham (32) have won more games than the Sky Blues (29).

• Coventry's 3-1 win over Charlton last time out saw them reach 50 goals for the season in 18 games, the fastest a second tier side has scored 50+ in a campaign since Sheffield Wednesday in 1958-59 (16).

"[Carl] Rushworth has been superb. Everyone is now talking about whether we can sign him. What are the chances of signing him? He's that good.

"The way he's playing at the minute, his fee has probably gone up. There was a lot of talk about us trying to buy him permanently in the summer for figures between £6m-£10m. If that was the case, he's probably easily £10m+ now.

"The only thing that might work in Sky Blues' favour is he only has one year on his contract past the summer, so he will go into his final year at Brighton."

BBC Radio CWR's Will Oelrich is joined by Coventry City supporters Ben and Danny to discuss the 3-1 win over Charlton and the January transfer window.

There is also talk about whether the Sky Blues should sign on-loan goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on a permanent deal from Premier League side Brighton.

Listen to the latest Sky Blues Fancast in full on BBC Sounds.

Image source, PA Media

With Coventry City riding high and 10 points clear at the top of the Championship, we asked if you're confident the Sky Blues will win promotion to the Premier League.

We also asked what could possibly stop Frank Lampard's side this season. Here's some of your responses:

Andrew: Cov are the best team in the league on and off the field, the feel is different than other seasons. We have gained from Lampard's experience of winning. Being a City fan this season is living a footballing dream.

Chris: January will be massive for us. Injuries are starting to seep in, and really we need to get ahead of the game and make signings in anticipation of going up. If we are still top by New Year and have a gap of at least 6-8 points, then I'll start to believe.

Andy: While there is still a lot of football to be played, this is a team who have great rapport with the manager, the fans and with each other. While the football is excellent: positive and a pleasure to watch, the off the field progress has been remarkable: the purchase of the stadium, the investment in the training ground and the match day experience. It really feels like it's going to be our year.

Stephen: Hopefully we can avoid too many injuries as we have a small squad. If we can then I believe we will get automatic promotion.

Geri: After watching us the last 24 years through relegations, promotions, numerous near misses and management changes, I am really feeling positive about our chances this season. I was sceptical about Frank Lampard taking over, but I am happy to say that I was completely wrong about him. Our achievements to date have been nothing but amazing, and I am really hopeful that we can finally get the promotion we deserve this season and we can finally resume our place in the Premier League.

Luke J: We desperately need reinforcements in January otherwise Doug King is going to look very silly and we'll be lucky to make the play-offs with the lack of depth in the squad once injuries start to roll in.

Warren: They are amazing and playing the type of football that we all like to see. However, what will stop them is injury. They haven't got the largest squad so a couple of bad injuries could seriously stop their season. Hopefully this won't happen! I still think that they will at least still reach the play-offs.

Marek: I am confident that Cov can finally thrust themselves into the Premier League with Frank Lampard. What concerns me most is the coming transfer window and the team being split apart by Premier League approaches on our first team players.

After Coventry City hit the 50-goal milestone in their 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic, Ephron Mason-Clark has already set his sights on three figures.

After going a goal down to the Addicks, Coventry fought back for their fourth comeback win of the season, and made it 50 goals and 43 points in their opening 18 games.

Mason-Clark told BBC CWR: "It showed a lot of character, bouncing back, with the help of the fans as well. It was an all-round good performance.

"50 goals is an amazing stat but we want to get 50 more, and more and more. Our objective is: nothing is ever good enough until the end of the season.

"Our main focus is each game, making sure we learn from our mistakes in previous games and to rectify it."

After starting just once in Coventry's opening 15 games, Ellis Simms has now started the past three, scoring five times in that run with another double against Charlton.

"He's doing amazing, we just have to keep getting him service," Mason-Clark said.

"It just shows the quality we have in the squad. It shows how competitive and good the squad is."

Mason-Clark - who came off late-on at the CBS Arena after a knock on his Achilles, but should be fine for Saturday's trip to Ipswich Town - hailed the connection between the players and fans after a crowd of more than 31,000 cheered them to a 13-point cushion in the race for automatic promotion.

"I feel we have [formed] that bond with the fans over the past couple of seasons.," he said.

"The community of Coventry is coming to support, we're all working in cohesion right now. It's an amazing feeling to be a part of it, a lovely community and team."

With 11 wins from the past 12 league games and a 10-point lead at the top of the Championship, Coventry City are flying high.

Sky Blues fans, it's time to have your say on the following:

• How confident are you that Coventry will win promotion to the Premier League?

• What, if anything, could stop Frank Lampard's side from doing so?

Let us know your views here.

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There are three things in life that are certain.

Death, taxes and Coventry City scoring a bucket of goals.

Saturday's 3-1 victory over Charlton Athletic was the 10th game this season where the Sky Blues had three goals or more in a game.

They have now bagged 50 in the league and it puts them ahead of some great names.

No other side in most of Europe's active professional leagues has reached that target yet. Bayern Munich and PSV come close on 44, but no-one else in England's top four divisions are near them.

The only team that can boast better is The New Saints in Wales, with 53 goals from the same number of league games.

It is a true testament to the amazing turnaround the fans of Coventry have witnessed since Frank Lampard took on their side a year ago last week.

Seven-goal Victor Torp has praised the manager for supporting him to be better. Ellis Simms has scored five in the past three games. And even these two are playing catch up with Haji Wright (eight goals this season) and Brandon Thomas-Asante (10).

It is this form that is bringing around even the most hardened Coventry fan who had doubts over the manager's appointment last year.

However, while it brings joy, it also brings risk.

With the January transfer window approaching, current Premier League clubs may be making some bids if this hot form continues.

But they would have to be some pretty chunky offers to prize these players away from perhaps the most unified team in the league.

A side which seems unstoppable right now.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry boss Frank Lampard praised his side's patience as they secured their third win in eight days.

The Sky Blues followed their comeback win over West Brom last weekend by beating second-placed Middlesbrough in midweek and then fighting back again to defeat Charlton 3-1 on Saturday.

Lampard told BBC CWR: "[It is ] a really important and good win for us at the end of a tough week.

"We've had to try to manage the squad, we've got a few issues so I was really pleased after going 1-0 down to show the patience in our game, to keep going, keep probing.

"You worry when there's a clear penalty you don't get that the whole stadium sees, you worry when they block things on the line and you wonder if it's going to be one of those days.

"To be fair to the lads they kept calm, got two goals in the first half and then saw out the second half very well against a dangerous opposition."

Image source, Shutterstock

In-form Coventry City midfielder Victor Torp said working with Frank Lampard over the past year has helped him try to become more dangerous around the opposition's box.

The Dane has scored seven goals so far - second only to 10-goal Brandon Thomas-Asante - in a squad that has claimed an English Football League high 47 goals - 19 more than the next team in the Championship and 14 more than League Two MK Dons, the next highest scorers in the EFL with 33.

With Lampard celebrating his one-year anniversary in charge of Coventry on Friday, Torp said the Chelsea legend's own goalscoring prowess, which brought a club-record 211 goals, has played an important part in improving his game.

"I feel like I have a freedom in my game, where I have a role where I can get into the box, and he was one of the best at getting goals there when he played," he told BBC CWR.

"I feel like I've been adding that to my game and I've been scoring a few and I've been happy about that.

"The main thing is getting in the right positions where the ball can land so you can get the shots off."

Torp added that Lampard always makes time to be available for a chat.

"We have a good relationship and I feel like I can contact him whenever I have any questions," he said.

"I feel like he has that belief in me as a player and that's something I enjoy, and I try to do my best whenever I'm on the pitch."

With the Sky Blues 10 points clear at the top of the table ahead of Saturday's home game against Charlton Athletic (15:00 GMT), Torp said the dressing room is, understandably, a happy place.

"There's a really good vibe in the whole building and in the dressing room," he said. "We have a great team and the feeling is very positive at the moment."

After a successful first 12 months at the helm at Coventry, Frank Lampard has revealed what he takes most satisfaction from.

The Sky Blues are 10 points clear at the top of the Championship after 17 games, having risen from 17th, two points clear of the relegation zone, to the play-offs after Lampard was appointed on 28 November last year.

Asked by BBC CWR what he has taken most satisfaction from during his tenure so far, Lampard said: "We have found different ways to win games but still keeping a feeling of what we are as a team.

"It's a tactical development of the team we should be proud of. The players want to take on information."

Lampard said the identity and unity of the team were key to their success, adding: "We always try and hold dear to what we want to be as a team which is an exciting team with a lot of energy and quality used in the right way.

"The players have spirit and togetherness, it's a real strength of ours. We've got a really tight group that have found a way to improve and get results."

Slumping Charlton, who have lost their past three games, head to the CBS Arena where City are seeking a sixth straight win on Saturday (15:00 GMT), but Lampard remains wary of their threat.

"They've gone to Ipswich and won 3-0, they've had some big results, this week's been tough for them but that's the Championship," he added.

"They are an aggressive off the ball team and will try and press with a lot of energy and we have got to be ready for that."

Image source, Opta

Runaway leaders Coventry will seek to increase their advantage in the promotion race as they welcome wobbling Charlton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The free-scoring Sky Blues go into the weekend with a 10-point lead after Tuesday's 4-2 win at Middlesbrough, remain unbeaten at home and have won 10 of their past 11 Championship games.

Though they remain just four points behind the play-off places, the Addicks have slipped to 16th off the back of three straight defeats in which they have scored only once and allowed nine goals at the other end - the most recent a 3-0 reverse at Stoke on Tuesday night.

• Coventry have lost just one of their past 15 home league games against Charlton Athletic (W9 D5), with this their first meeting with the Addicks since a 2-1 victory on Boxing Day 2018.

• Charlton Athletic lost both league meetings with Coventry City when they last met in 2018/19 – they've never lost three in a row against the Sky Blues before.

• Coventry have won 10 of their past 11 league games (L1), while at home they've won each of their past five; it's their longest since a run of seven in October 2021.

• Charlton have lost each of their past three league games, conceding more goals in that time (9) than in their prior 10 games combined (7).

• Coventry's Ellis Simms has scored more goals in his past two games (3) than in his previous 25 Championship appearances (2).

Rob Gurney
BBC CWR

Image source, Getty Images

No amount of superlatives are really sufficient to describe what's happened in the last year under Frank Lampard at Coventry City Football Club..

When Doug King took him on the Sky Blues were 17th in the Championship table, and a significant proportion of the fanbase were not convinced.

In fact many preferred Ruud van Nistelrooy, who ended up at then-Premier League Leicester City and he did not survive going down with them.

An extraordinary run to the play-offs was only halted by a last-gasp extra-time Sunderland goal in a heart-breaking semi-final second leg.

But there was no real hangover from that, and even their solitary defeat at Wrexham has been responded to in the most spectacular fashion - that one L isolated among 10 Ws.

In all competitions, Coventry have played 52 games under Lampard, with 29 victories, 10 draws and 13 defeats, although two of those defeats were in cup competitions against Ipswich last season, and Millwall this term. That is a win ratio of 55.77%.

His brand of high-risk, high-reward football has brought goals, goals, goals, and results, even if sometimes they have found it tough - Middlesbrough on Tuesday being a case in point.

But Coventry are on course to break almost every record going in the Championship, and possibly the EFL itself.

As one podcast famously put it, when he got the job: "Why do clubs keep hiring Frank Lampard?"

Twelve months on I think we've got our answer, boys.

"Coventry look like a team that are ready to go the season - but every team has a wobble."

Have the Sky Blues already got the Championship title in the bag? Is new Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg the right man for the job at Riverside Stadium? Is it time for Southampton and Tonda Eckert to make their partnership official?

The 72+ team are joined once again by Chelmsford City striker Lyle Taylor to discuss all of the latest news in the Championship - from Coventry's dominant 10-point lead to Charlton's defensive woes.

Listen to the full episode of 72+ and more on BBC Sounds.

Two-goal Ellis Simms says Coventry City's thrilling 4-2 win at automatic promotion rivals Middlesbrough was a "statement" victory after the Sky Blues moved 10 points clear at the top of the Championship.

Frank Lampard's side continued their scintillating form with a performance at the Riverside Stadium that showed character and determination alongside their usual potency up front as they sealed their 12th win in 17 games so far.

Simms' stunning curler into the top corner from the edge of the box put City ahead on 10 minutes before Liam Kitching made it 2-0 four minutes later.

But Boro, who were second in the table before kick-off and defending their unbeaten home record, fought back to level either side of half-time through Morgan Whittaker and a Bobby Thomas own goal.

Free-scoring Coventry showed why they are such hot favourites for the title and promotion to the Premier League by netting their 46th and 47th goals of the season as Simms and Kitching grabbed their second inside the last five minutes.

"It was a massive three points", Simms told BBC CWR.

"We knew coming here would be difficult - they were second and not lost many games. It was amazing.

"We started very well then they brought it back and it was another test for us. We had to dig deep and we showed great determination to keep going and we were a massive threat going forwards.

"The lads stuck to the game plan. It's a big statement."

Coventry have now won 10 of their past 11 league games as they charge towards a return to the top flight for the first time in a quarter of a century.

They will try to increase their double-digit lead when they take on Charlton at the CBS Arena on Saturday.

Simms, though, is unsurprisingly not getting carried away.

"We're 10 points clear but we just need to keep our heads on it because things change so fast in this league," he added.

"It was a great result [against Boro] but we just need to keep at it, keep the form and keep it going."

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard was delighted with the character and quality his players showed in their 4-2 win over Middlesbrough.

Victory extended their lead at the top of the Championship to 10 points over Boro and Stoke City after this thrilling game.

They quickly went two goals up through Ellis Simms and Liam Kitching, were pegged back to 2-2 by their hosts before goals in the 85th and 86th minute from Kitching and Simms again secured a 10th win in 11 games for the Sky Blues.

"It was two good teams, Boro are where they are for a reason," said Lampard.

"There were lots of factors that made this a tough match for us tonight.

"They started the game well, but we were so clinical. We looked a big threat in our counter-attacking in the first half and we created some big chances beyond the goals.

"But they're a good team and they caused us problems and we changed in the second half to counter that and I thought we were outstanding in the last 20 minutes.

"When games go from 2-0 to 2-2, we've all seen that story before and how it pans out. Momentum is with the other team but we gripped the game back. The changes probably helped, but the players - they owned that today."

Image source, Shutterstock

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard says his relationship with Jack Rudoni reminds him of how he worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.

Rudoni, 24, returned to action as a late substitute in Saturday's win over West Bromwich Albion after missing nine games with a calf injury.

Lampard told BBC CWR: "My main one (influence) was Jose Mourinho as he came in at a time when I was a similar age to 'Rudi' - he really injected something into my game on and off the pitch, or how I felt about the game, my confidence as well as tactical tweaks.

"With good players with his talent base, you give them the tactical information but it's also how you talk to them, how you engage with them all the time, that's what I experienced myself."

Rudoni joined Coventry from Huddersfield in June 2024, with Saturday's cameo against Albion being his 50th league appearance for the Sky Blues.

"We have a really good relationship, we talk a lot about midfield play, goal threat and I know what that mindset is and it's easy for me to talk about and he's easy to get on with," Lampard added.

"Nothing in management is quite as rewarding as playing - but in terms of individual relationships, when you see a player grow through the work and perform how he's performed, then you get a really good sense and feeling from it."

This is the one we have been waiting for as the top two come face-to-face on Teesside.

Coventry's stirring 3-2 win over West Brom on Saturday, coupled with Middlesbrough being held to a 1-1 draw at Oxford means the Sky Blues hold a seven-point advantage over their opponents at the top of the Championship.

• Middlesbrough are winless in their past six league games against Coventry (D1 L5), losing each of the past four in a row.

• Coventry have won their past two away league games against Middlesbrough, more than they had in their previous 14 visits between 1982 and 2023 (W1 D6 L7).

• Middlesbrough have lost just one of their past 13 home league games (W9 D3) and are unbeaten in nine at the Riverside Stadium since a 1-0 loss against Leeds in April.

• Coventry have scored 21 goals in their eight away league games this season, just three fewer than they managed in the whole of last season on the road (24 in 23 games).

• Coventry's Haji Wright has been involved in four goals in his four league appearances against Middlesbrough (3 goals, 1 assist), with three of those coming at the Riverside Stadium.