Coventry City

Coventry City will be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering their first loss of the season at Wrexham on Friday. They welcome struggling Sheffield United to the CBS Arena on Tuesday (20:00 GMT).

The Sky Blues remain top of the table by three points over Middlesbrough. Meanwhile, Sheffield United are 22nd in the Championship after back-to-back defeats by Preston and Derby.

The Blades are three points adrift of safety as they head south to face the league leaders.

• Coventry City have lost only one of their past 10 home league games against Sheffield United (W6 D3), a 2-1 loss in December 2016 in League One.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past three league meetings with Coventry City (W2 D1), last going four without loss against the Sky Blues between December 2007 and March 2009 (W3 D1).

• Coventry City are unbeaten in each of their past nine home league games (W7 D2), last going 10 without defeat at the CBS Arena between October 2019 and September 2020 (run of 11).

• Sheffield United have lost exactly half of their 18 away games in the Championship in 2025, winning the other half – the Blades last suffered 10+ defeats outside of the top-flight on the road in a calendar year in 2013 (13 in League One).

• Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer has either scored (1) or assisted (1) in both of his two league appearances against former club Coventry – he also grabbed an assist in his final appearance against the Blades for Coventry on Boxing Day 2022, meaning he has been involved in a goal in each of the past three fixtures between these two sides.

Coventry City owner Doug King says the decision to set ticket prices for the Championship game against West Bromwich Albion later this month and the Boxing Day match with Swansea City at £45 is down to the club "optimising where we can optimise".

Adults will be charged £45, seniors £40 and under-18s £35 to watch the games against the Baggies on 22 November and the Swans on 26 December, both at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Currently, there is no cap on away ticket prices in the Championship, meaning costs can vary.

The Premier League has had a £30 cap in place since 2016-17 and voted unanimously to keep that for 2025-26.

It has led to calls from some West Brom fans to boycott the trip to the CBS Arena.

"We think local derbies are great experiences - Leicester, Birmingham, West Bromwich Albion... We think our local derby partners are big games," King told BBC CWR.

"Boxing Day is a critical game and has a lot of history. We always have a huge turnout and we need to optimise where we can optimise.

"When we need to discount and get people there on a cold midweek game in January, we'll do the same."

King said he knows people highlight the presence of the top-flight cap on away ticket prices but added there are other factors that make that decision easier - namely the new £6.7bn TV rights deal that sees the club finishing bottom of the Premier League this season receiving around £120m.

"People say the Premier League is capped at £30 but I say, 'Yeah but the Premier League has got £120m broadcast revenue and I've got a pittance'.

"We're not printing money in the Championship."

Coventry have sold just under 24,000 season tickets and around 3,000 for their family zone in the stadium with King saying the club makes "a couple of quid" from the youngsters that go there.

King says it remains a tough balancing act to keep club finances healthy and fans happy, on and off the pitch.

"I am aware of these things and also that we want to watch great football and get to where we want to get to," he said.

"There are sacrifices - that's the nature of the game - and it's getting more difficult in our league to be competitive and be sustainable."

Unbeaten leaders Coventry go in search of a club record seventh straight win as they kick-off the Championship weekend with a Friday night trip to Wrexham (20:00 GMT).

The Sky Blues are three points ahead of second-placed Middlesbrough and with a goal difference of +25 after 12 games - more than double any other side in the division.

The Red Dragons drew 1-1 at Boro last Saturday to make it four points from their past two games and climb to 16th, five points clear of the drop-zone, though they did go down 2-1 at home to Cardiff in the EFL Cup fourth round on Tuesday night.

• This will be the first league meeting between Wrexham and Coventry City since February 1964, a third tier match which ended 1-1 between the two sides.

• Coventry City have won five of their eight league games against Wrexham in club history (D1 L2), scoring 3+ goals in four of those five victories.

• Wrexham have won just one of their six home league games so far this season (D3 L2), though that sole victory did come last time out at the Stok Cae Ras, beating Oxford United 1-0.

• Coventry remain unbeaten after 12 matches in the Championship this season (W8 D4), only the second time that they've reached this stage of a campaign without defeat after 1937-38 (first 15).

• Brandon Thomas-Asante is the Championship's top scorer so far this season with nine goals, one ahead of teammate Haji Wright; the last Coventry player to reach double figures for league goals prior to matchday 15 was Callum Wilson in the 2013-14 League One campaign who did so after 11 games.

"This season is pretty much done. It's about a reset, getting someone in who can come and get the club [Sheffield Wednesday] to kick on and start again fresh."

Ex-Hull City boss Phil Brown joins the 72+ podcast to talk head coaches under the cosh, the highs at Coventry City, the lows at Hillsborough after the Owls enter administration and managerial changes at Reading and Peterborough.

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

"We're top of the league. Comfortably. Who is not loving life at the moment?

"The one thing I am scared of is it's going to end sometime. I'm scared it's going to happen eventually. This never normally happens to Cov."

BBC CWR's Lorna Bailey and Will Oelrich are joined by Sky Blues fans Adam, Lily and Lee to reflect on unbeaten Coventry's 3-1 home win against Watford, the club's fan zone, Jamie Allen, tattoos, Milan van Ewijk's suspension, ticket prices for West Brom and of course, Name that Game...

Listen to the full episode of the Sky Blues Fancast and more on BBC Sounds.

Coventry City midfielder Jamie Allen says the Sky Blues "tried to put their foot down" following a quick start in their 3-1 victory over Watford on Saturday.

Allen scored Coventry's second goal in the opening seven minutes after Brandon Thomas-Asante fired in the first just three minutes into the game at the CBS Arena.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto added a third, moments before James Abankwah was sent off for the Hornets.

The win gives the Sky Blues a three-point gap at the top of the table as second-place Middlesbrough could only draw at home to Wrexham.

"They had a few chances just before the third goal, Rushy [Carl Rushworth] made some unbelievable saves," he told BBC Radio CWR.

"They were good at the counter-attacks so we had to be very wary of that. We grafted to get the three points.

"We've started really well, all we want to do is keep this run going. Our focus is to take each game at a time."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard told Sky Blues fans to enjoy the club's hot streak while it lasts with no guarantees the good times will continue to roll.

The Championship leaders won their sixth match on the bounce and extended an unbeaten run to 12 games in the league when beating Watford 3-1 at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Speaking to BBC Radio CWR, Lampard said: "Six wins, 12 unbeaten but don't get used to it like it is nothing. We can improve for sure but we need to continue.

"As easy as you go on these type of runs it can go on the reverse. We have to control it and keep working."

Lampard was delighted with the result against a Watford side who posed a threat throughout despite finding themselves reduced to 10 men before the break.

"It was a difficult game against good opposition with lots of pace, lots of transition threat and lots of quality. If you'd offered me that (3-1) this morning against Watford I would have taken it so I'm happy.

"Carl Rushworth made some great saves for us. That is what he is there for and it is great to see a continuation of his form. We did a lot of damage in the first half but they are a counter attacking team.

"We had to be a bit careful in how we played but we had to take the sting out of the game. We want to win games. If you get loose against good opposition they are dangerous."

Championship leaders Coventry head into this game as the EFL's only unbeaten side and with a one-point lead over Middlesbrough.

Watford collected their first win under returning boss Javi Gracia when beating West Brom 2-1 on Wednesday but, along with Ipswich, are the only side without an away win in the division.

• Coventry City have only lost one of their last 12 league games against Watford (W4 D7) and none of the previous seven encounters (W3 D4).

• Since a run of three successive wins between October 2007 and May 2010, Watford are winless on each of their past six league visits to Coventry (D4 L2).

• Coventry have won each of their previous five league games; only twice before (in August 1954 and September 1964) have they won six successive games in the Football League.

• Watford are without an away league win in their past 11 matches (D3 L8); they're the only ever-present Championship side without a league win on the road since March.

• Coventry's Brandon Thomas-Asante has either scored or assisted in each of his past five Championship games, registering as many goal involvements in this run as in his prior 15 matches in the competition (7 – 6 goals, 1 assist).

Coventry City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante says his side had to be "resilient" in their 2-1 win against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The 26-year-old scored both of the goals for the Sky Blues, pushing his tally up to eight for the season in just 11 games.

"We know that when we go 1-0 up it is not done - that is how we suffered last season - so we had to be resilient the whole way through," he told BBC Radio CWR.

"This result is testament to our spirit. This season and through the end of last season, we are learning how to get results from a variety of different games."

The Ghanaian international is enjoying his football under head coach Frank Lampard at the moment, scoring five goals in his last three outings for the Sky Blues.

"There are a lot of reasons why I have been playing better. Last season I was suffering with a few injuries and I was trying to play through that.

"It was my first season so I wanted to try and be out there as much as possible but when you're not 100% it is really frustrating.

"It is not to do with just me, the other players are making it really easy and I am so grateful to have these team-mates.

"I just have to keep going because anything can happen tomorrow."

Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard says his side deserved more goals in their 2-1 away win against Portsmouth.

The Sky Blues extended their winning run to five games and maintained their record as the only team in the Championship yet to lose a match in last night's win.

"We probably should have had more than two goals with the way we were playing. We were looking so dangerous every time we attacked," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR.

"When you are winning games, changing the system can seem a strange thing to do but when you look at our squad in terms of attacking players, we have Haji Wright, who has been to America and back, Sakamoto and Mason-Clark - we need to look after their minutes at times."

The Coventry boss was full of praise for Brandon Thomas-Asante, who netted twice to make it five goals in three games for the Ghanaian international.

"It is all credit to Brandon because he works so hard and has got so much good energy about him.

"Even going back to the first day of pre-season, he was ready to go and wherever you play him, he has that work ethic and talent.

"He just needs to keep going because he has taken himself to a level now where people will talk about him because he is doing it so regularly."

"It wasn't the best performance we have seen this season, but we got the win and that is the most important thing."

BBC CWR's Lorna Bailey and Will Oelrich are joined by Sky Blues fans Sam and Moz to reflect on Coventry's 2-0 home win against Blackburn, as well as discussing what to expect in Tuesday night's Championship encounter with Portsmouth (19:45 BST).

Listen to the full episode of the Sky Blues Fancast and more on BBC Sounds.

No club has taken more points on the road than the 11 managed by Championship leaders Coventry City this season.

The Sky Blues are also one of only three teams unbeaten on their travels in the division.

Home side Portsmouth are struggling for goals with only Sheffield United (4) and Blackburn Rovers (7) having scored fewer than their seven.

• Portsmouth have won four of their past five home league games against Coventry City (D1) since a 3-0 reverse in April 2011.

• Coventry have won two of their past three league matches against Portsmouth (L1), this after only winning one of their previous seven prior (D2 L4).

• After their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, Portsmouth could win back-to-back home league games without conceding for the first time since October 2023.

• Coventry have won both of their past two away league games by an aggregate score of 9-0. They could become the first side in English league history to win three successive away games in the second tier by 4+ goals.

• Coventry have won both of their past two midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games, including one against Portsmouth in April (1-0). The Sky Blues last won three in a row in December 2022.

Coventry City were not worried about Middlesbrough overtaking them at the top of the Championship before their game with Blackburn, says forward Ephron Mason-Clark.

The Sky Blues were knocked off the summit for a few hours by Boro's win over Ipswich on Friday night before reassuming leadership of the division with their 2-0 victory against Rovers on Saturday.

"It's early in the season, we're not looking at the table really," Mason-Clark told BBC Radio CWR.

"We're not looking at those around us, we're just focusing on ourselves and making sure we're not only prepared for home games but away games as well."

Coventry head to Portsmouth on Tuesday night (19:45 BST) having scored nine goals in their past two away trips.

"Those stats we can't take for granted," added the forward. "We go there to stick to our own qualities and make sure we're fighting for each other and the fans that are travelling down there.

"It's an amazing ground with a lot of history but we're all confident and looking forward to a tough test again."

Ben Mundy
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It took the best part of an hour before Frank Lampard's Coventry burned off the international break blues on Saturday.

In fact, the first half against Blackburn Rovers was close. Very close. One of the Rovers' staff joked with me over a half-time coffee that "Coventry were holding on".

It wasn't quite that. But the hosts took a while to get going.

And yet, once Victor Torp and Brandon Thomas-Asante had fired them into a 2-0 lead, there was no letting up. No shutting up shop. No sitting back and soaking up.

It was delightful to watch – as Coventry continued to push and probe. And a clear indication as to how the Sky Blues have managed to bag 14 goals in their past four games.

That tactic, on top of five consecutive clean sheets, means the rest of the Championship should have real Coventry concerns.

Nice one, Frank.

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard says his players "needed recovery", but should avoid becoming complacent.

Lampard lost Haji Wright (USA), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Ghana), Joel Latibeaudiere (Jamaica) and Jay Dasilva (Wales), as they all went off to join their respective international teams.

"We used the time well and the players needed recovery first and foremost," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR. "It has given us a chance to get the right level of physical work.

"It is is not always easy to work overly tactical when you are missing some important players, we are not the biggest squad.

"But it gives us the chance to bring up some young players and have a look at those who have added positively to the feeling of the group."

The Sky Blues are the only team in the Championship yet to lose this season. Their last game before the break saw them complete a 5-0 thumping over Sheffield Wednesday.

Coventry welcome Blackburn to the CBS Arena on Saturday (15:00 BST), where they will be looking to extended their unbeaten streak.

"The unbeaten record is nice, but I'm not so concerned about that, because we can lose a game in this league," Lampard added.

"But performance wise and feeling wise the way the players are running for each other on the pitch and how they are performing on the pitch has been great - but I have to be the first one to understand the minute those levels drop then everything changes.

"There were a few glimpses at Sheffield Wednesday, even in the 5-0 where we dropped a little bit, players have seen that back since and we have to make sure we guard against any complacency."

Listen to Lampard's full interview and more Coventry City content on BBC Sounds.

Ellis Simms hopes he can continue to make an impact for Coventry - whether it is as a substitute or in the starting XI.

The 24-year-old forward has come off the bench in seven of City's opening nine Championship games and netted in his past two appearances in big wins at Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday.

Simms started 19 of the Sky Blues' final 22 games last season and came off the bench in the other three.

But, after six goals in 44 Championship appearances last season, he has had to settle for an 'impact sub' role under Frank Lampard this season.

He told BBC CWR: "I want to score goals, do well and keep improving. You have to keep believing in yourself and eventually it will come.

"If I keep making the runs, working hard, practising, you're going to score and from there it's like a snowball, you get confidence and you score again - I believe in my ability.

"The one-to-ones with Frank Lampard and the training staff are very helpful. Especially learning from the best. I have to learn from them and keep listening to the advice and take it on board."

Simms said he has the "same mentality" whether he is coming off the bench or starting, adding: "You have to be ready at all times, work hard, and when you're given an opportunity you want to grasp it with both hands and do well for yourself and the team.

"Every player wants to start (but) when you come on you want to make an impact and influence the game.

"I feel like I am in a decent place and in the last two games I have managed to come on and score. I want to keep that coming.

"There's healthy competition in the team, we're all pushing each other and that's maybe a factor in why we have started so well this season."

Click here to listen to the full interview via BBC Sounds.

"Frank's a very engaging individual - he wears his footballing greatness lightly.

"We see someone who comes in with this great work effort, this humility, this desire. I guess for Frank, he's got a slight point to prove himself."

World Soccer's Henry Winter joins BBC Radio CWR to discuss Frank Lampard's influence on Coventry City.

Listen to the full analysis and more Coventry City content on BBC Sounds.