Coventry City

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Southampton's Tonda Eckert and Millwall's Femi Azeez have won the Championship's manager and player of the month awards for February.

Saints took 13 points from a possible 15 as they went unbeaten last month, finishing with successive wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday to move into play-off contention.

Eckert was appointed Southampton's permanent head coach in December having been in interim charge when Will Still was sacked at the start of November.

He has won 12 of his 23 league games, taking the south coast club from 21st place to the race for a top-six finish.

Coventry City's Frank Lampard, Philippe Clement of Norwich City and Millwall boss Alex Neil were also nominated for the manager of the month award.

Though the Lions did win through winger Femi Azeez, who took home the player award after helping the side to win four of their five games in February.

The 24-year-old made five goal contributions, striking a superb volley to open the scoring against Birmingham in their 3-0 win at the Den.

Saints midfielder Leo Scienza was also up for the player award, alongside Sheffield United midfielder Sydie Peck and Sky Blues striker Haji Wright.

Southampton could be in with a chance at the top six on Saturday lunchtime (12:30 GMT) but will need to beat in-form league leaders Coventry City.

If Wrexham fail to take any points against Swansea on Friday, the door will open for the Saints to leapfrog into sixth spot with three points thanks to a superior goal difference.

However, hosts Coventry are on a six-match winning streak and running away with the Championship title as things stand with an eight point lead at the top.

• Coventry City are winless in their last six league games against Southampton (D3 L3) since a 4-1 win in October 2008.

• Southampton have one win in their last seven league visits to Coventry (D4 L2), a 4-2 win under Nigel Adkins in the 2011-12 season.

• Coventry manager Frank Lampard has never won a home game against Southampton in all competitions as a manager (D2 L2), with his teams conceding at least twice in all four games.

• Southampton have lost eight of their last 10 league games against teams who have 70+ points in the table before the game (W1 D1), with their one win coming away at 90-point Leeds on the final day of the 2023-24 season (2-1).

• Coventry are unbeaten in 12:30pm Championship kick-offs this season (W7 D3), while Southampton have only lost one of six 12:30pm games (W3 D2).

Coventry City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante says the Championship leaders have "nine finals" left on their path to Premier League promotion.

The Sky Blues continued their irresistible form on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Preston North End to notch a sixth straight victory.

Coupled with second-placed Middlesbrough's defeat by Charlton, the result eased Frank Lampard's side eight points clear at the top with nine games remaining.

Their three goals - the second scored by Thomas-Asante - took Coventry's league tally so far this season to 77, the highest in England's top four divisions and 13 more than the Championship's next most prolific side, Ipswich Town.

"It's good to hear," Thomas-Asante told BBC CWR.

"We came out of the blocks [at the start of the season], but obviously we've been through tough parts of the season as well so we know there's only one way to get the results you need and it's to step into every game knowing you have to earn it."

After their Wembley play-off final defeat on penalties in 2022-23 and last season's heartache in the semi-finals, Coventry are edging closer to finally returning to the top flight after 25 years away.

But Thomas-Asante, whose goal against Preston was his 11th of the season but first since November, knows the run-in will be a real challenge.

"No one's going to give it to you in this league," he said.

"There's quality teams all over, all up and down the league so it's going to be nine finals and we have to really treat it as such.

"[We need to] make sure that we're prepared. I think the mentality through the group is really top.

"It's good to get back on the scoresheet and hopefully I can end the season as strong as I started it."

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Norwich City boss Philippe Clement, Southampton's Tonda Eckert, Frank Lampard of Coventry City and Millwall head coach Alex Neil have been nominated for the Championship's manager of the month award for February.

The Canaries won four of their five league games last month to move comfortably clear of the relegation zone.

Southampton have climbed to within three points of the play-off places after 13 points from an unbeaten February which included coming from 3-0 down to beat Leicester City 4-3.

Coventry City lost the leadership of the Championship when they opened the month with a draw against Oxford United, but four consecutive wins, followed by back-to-back victories in March, means they are now eight points clear at the top.

Millwall also collected four wins from their five games, including victories at play-off rivals Wrexham and Preston.

The winner of the February award will be revealed on Friday, 13 March.

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard urged focus on the run in after his side's 3-0 win over Preston North End left them eight points clear at the top of the Championship.

Goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Matt Grimes put away a dispirited Preston side, while defeat for Middlesbrough allowed the Sky Blues to open up a greater gap at the summit.

Speaking to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, Lampard said: "We dominated the game by the way the lads approached it - the overall performance, the focus, the quality of the play, the creation of chances, the goals and the comfort that we felt.

"They worked brilliantly from minute one to the end against what was a tricky opposition on paper. This is not a bad team at all, Preston.

"We've still got work to do but the points and the goals is great recognition to this point and we need to continue for another nine games."

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's visit to league leaders Coventry City (20:00 GMT).

Here are the main talking points:

• Callum Lang has strained his hamstring whilst recovering from a knock and is unlikely to feature until after the international break. Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire that due to "his history, it would be too risky" for him to return sooner.

• Lewis Gibson has torn a shoulder muscle making him "a doubt" for the matchday squad. Goalkeeper Daniel Iversen returned to training fully this week. He is "fit and available" so could travel to Coventry.

• The Championship "is a hard league, an unforgiving league" which is why Heckingbottom says North End have slipped down to 13th in the table after dropping too many points in a five-game winless run.

• He cites "conceding too many goals" as the key reason Preston have fallen away from the play-off spots.

• Their next opponents Coventry City are "a dangerous team", he says. "They've got firepower, they're never out of it. They win games when they're not playing well because they have that firepower."

• Heckingbottom's message to fans is "to stay with the team". "We are up against it and we have to battle and fight," he adds. "We need everyone to do that, we need the fans to do that as well.

Listen to the full interview with Paul Heckingbottom and more North End on BBC Sounds.

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Coventry will seek to at least maintain their advantage at the top of the Championship when they host Preston on Wednesday night (20:00 GMT).

Despite going eight-points clear of Middlesbrough courtesy of a 2-0 win at Bristol City on Saturday, the Sky Blues' fifth straight win, Boro did pull within five points with a big win at QPR on Sunday, and will host Charlton, also on Wednesday evening.

Preston went down 3-1 at home to lowly Oxford United on Friday and have slipped into the bottom half for the first time this season after a run of five games without a win.

• Coventry have won just one of their past 24 league games against Preston (D9 L14), though it was in this exact fixture last season (2-1).

• Preston have only failed to score in one of their past 20 away league games against Coventry, while they've kept a clean sheet on four of their last six visits.

• Coventry have lost just three of their 32 home league games under Frank Lampard (W24 D5). These losses came against Leeds, Burnley (both of whom were promoted last season) and current promotion chasers Ipswich.

• Having lost just two of their first 11 away league games this season (W4 D5), Preston have now lost three of their past six on the road (W1 D2).

• Haji Wright has scored six goals in five home league games in 2026, with these accounting for 67% of Coventry's home goals this calendar year (6/9).

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Frank Lampard cited Haji Wright's goal on the stroke of half-time as 'crucial' to the success at Bristol City that took Coventry eight points clear at the top of the table.

The Sky Blues were down to 10 men at the time, following Joel Latibeaudiere's red card just minutes after Tatsuhiro Sakamoto had headed the visitors in front.

But Wright's sixth goal in his last five games gave Lampard's men some breathing space and the manager told BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire: "The second goal was crucial to the game, crucial to our mindset, crucial to give us something to hang on to.

"It was a difficult start – they had a few opportunities and we knew they would give us some problems. They picked two strikers with pace and power and we were not completely at it.

"We got our goal which I was really pleased with, Tats getting in as he does and he can spring, then we've got control – then we lose a man and we had to make a change straight away.

"But the way the lads dealt with the second half was outstanding from all of them on the pitch, with great character and great spirit. We showed another side, which we have to show if we're going to get to where we want to."

Coventry City's on-loan midfielder Frank Onyeka has brought valuable top-flight experience to the team as they chase promotion to the Premier League, says boss Frank Lampard.

The 28-year-old Nigeria international joined the Sky Blues from Brentford on transfer deadline day in February and has been part of a winning side in all four of his appearances so far for the Championship leaders.

"When we recruited him the playing profile was different as we are quite light on Premier League experience," Lampard told BBC CWR.

"Not many of our players have been exposed to the Premier League, some other Championship teams have lots of exposure to the Premier League.

"So there's an experience about it, a knowhow in his game but he's been a big impact on and off the pitch for us. His professionalism is really good and he's clearly come in and helped our upturn in recent weeks."

Onyeka was substituted with 'a knock' in last weekend's win over Stoke City but Lampard says he is in contention to face Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

"He hasn't trained much but he'll train today (Friday) and we'll see how he is."

Listen to more Coventry City interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Bristol City will hope to bring joy to Ashton Gate following a dismal FA Cup defeat away to Port Vale in the week with a big win over Championship leaders Coventry City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Robins suffered a 1-0 loss to the Valiants in extra time to end their FA Cup run and with seven points separating from the top six, their play-off dream also seems to be heading for disappointment.

But they can revive the last embers of hope if they beat the Sky Blues - though they would need to upset a four-match winning streak to do so.

• Bristol City have won one of their last 10 league matches against Coventry (D4 L5), a 1-0 home win in the 2023-24 season.

• Coventry City are looking for their first league double over Bristol City since the 2021-22 campaign.

• Bristol City go into this game 21 points behind Coventry in the Championship table – the Robins have lost eight of their last 11 league games when trailing a side by 21+ points before the game (W2 D1), with their most recent game seeing them lose 4-0 to Leeds in April 2025.

• Coventry City won 13 points in the Championship in February (W4 D1), only two fewer than they won across 12 matches in December and January this season (15 – W4 D3 L5).

• Haji Wright scored five goals in the Championship in February, the most of any player. Wright is just one goal (currently 43 in 104 games) behind the record for Championship goals for Coventry (since 2004-05), with Gary McSheffrey netting 44.

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Earlier we asked what you make of the news that, from next season, the Championship play-offs will be expanded to include the teams finishing seventh and eighth?

It was announced on Thursday morning that EFL clubs voted in favour of expanding the play-offs from four to six teams.

Here's a selection of your comments...

Josh, Derby: I don't believe this is necessary. I do think that the play-off format should be aligned throughout the top five leagues, but expanding isn't needed. Better distribution of the monies involved and establishing a clear matchday structure to balance various men's and women's leagues would be a better use of everyone's time. This strikes me undue American influence.

Callum, Dartford: I think it's a good thing so teams can push for promotion that thought they wouldn't get near the play-offs.

Cato, Sheffield: If we adopted it to this season, it means that eighth-placed Derby (on 51 points) have about as much a chance of going up as third-placed Millwall (on 63 points). Plus, to accommodate the extra games, would they extend the season into June? I don't like the idea of it at all, and I hope it's short-lived.

Steve, London: Another example of football being ruined, week by week. Don't you dare think about implementing VAR too.

Mark, Stafford: As a Stoke fan, I think it's good news. The season has come to a grinding halt due to being decimated by injuries. Add to that, the quality of what is coming down from the Premier League, it would mean upsets can happen and still allow teams in that mid-table race to dream of greater heights!

Richard, Stansted: Absolutely ridiculous. What is the point of a league format if you are going to make it a bigger lottery to include even more teams at the end of the season? It also brings teams that are even less ready to actually be in the Premier League into scope. But mostly it's the undermining of the league format which makes no sense. I'm a Derby fan - and we look like we would have a chance of benefiting from this if it were in place this season.

Andy, Nuneaton: Anything that expands the opportunities for those outside of the parachute teams is a good thing. We need to get away from this elite view of the Premier League. If it was up to them, they'd stop automatic promotion and relegation and have a system like Rugby Union, where it's based on meeting certain criteria. The eighth-placed club in the Championship getting to the PL? Bring it on!

Ron, Hayling: Money, Money, Money. Players complain about the amount of games they play with the league games and cup competitions so the intention is to play even more at the end of the season. Owners will make some money but that's all that matters!

Barry, Dartford: Yes it's a fantastic for everyone, all the small teams as well as the big boys, to have something to play for. It will give the end of the season something to look forward to.

Benjamin, Poole: I'm a Charlton fan, so it's unlikely we'll come 8th in the Championship any time soon, however, this is ridiculous. More pandering to Americans to make it more likely they'll make money, which is the only thing they care about. Sporting integrity out of the window again. Shame as I felt the Championship was the last bastion of quality and integrity combined. Game has gone.

Broughton, Derby: Absolute ridiculous, put it back to the old days of three straight up, no play-offs. If you don't make top-three you don't deserve to go up.

Julian, London: The worst decision from a footballing point of view ever! The National League teams have been trying to change their system to be like the current EFL system so it seems a very strange decision for the EFL to take. You can finish 8th after 46 games and still get promoted - sporting integrity has been totally lost with this decision. Money over integrity every time!

Naz Premji
Final Score reporter

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Frank Lampard's Coventry City appear destined for the Premier League and, if they get there, they could be a force and lots of fun to watch.

A recent blip has been overcome and on Saturday they managed to secure another three points against Stoke City to move eight points clear at the summit.

The Sky Blues dominated the game and it would have been a huge injustice if they had not won, but it took a scruffy and somewhat comical goal in the final minute of stoppage time to seal the victory.

The scorer of that goal, Jack Rudoni, would be a joy to watch in the top flight. The midfielder, who started his career at AFC Wimbledon and then went on to Huddersfield Town, has proved to be a fantastic signing for Coventry.

You can see how much of Frank Lampard's influence has played a part in his upward trajectory. He has been a pivotal part of Coventry's success and was arguably their man of the match against Stoke.

As one colleague in the press box exclaimed to me, "It's a joy to watch Rudoni glide across the turf," and that's what he was doing all game long.

He carved out several chances for his team-mates and always provided an attacking outlet for the Championship leaders.

He is a creator and a goalscorer and will no doubt play a big part if Coventry City finally make it back into the big time.

With eleven games to go, I am sure Lampard and all those Sky Blues fans are in countdown mode as they try to protect their advantage in the standings and bring top-flight football to the CBS Arena for the first time.

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Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard spoke to BBC CWR following their 94th-minute victory over Stoke City.

"Not every day is like this and you have to enjoy the moment when it comes," he said.

"I enjoyed it today because I loved our performance – it was so, so good throughout the game that if we hadn't have got what we deserved it would have been a travesty.

"From minute one and how we played the first half, we should been two or three goals up. There was real quality in our play, good pressure from us off the ball and we gave them nothing, other than the goal. Apart from that, throughout the game they didn't have another shot on target or any real threat.

"So when you have that feeling of 'oh, it's going to be one of those days', but it flips because of the character of the boys, it makes it a special day."

Image source, Coventry City FC

You might not hear the old terrace refrain of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' as often as you used to, but it still has a better ring than 'the shirt's not fit for you to wear'.

Championship leaders Coventry City launched a new collection on Friday, proudly taking inspiration from a kit widely dubbed the 'Worst of All Time'.

A take on the club's infamous brown change strip worn away from Highfield Road from 1978 to 1981, the modern reinvention features what the club calls "a deeper chocolate plum colour with sky blue elements".

Many would suggest it sounds tastier than it looks.

But it's got us thinking... what are actually the worst EFL kits of all time? Let us know which of your club's shirts is hiding in the back of the wardrobe, or even if they were too ugly for you to even part money for them.

We'll collate a list of the biggest eyesores and will give you the chance to vote on the ghastliest of all next week.

Click here to let us know your suggestion, and you can even attach a picture if you really want to convey the horror.

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Coventry City will not get caught up in any talk about what could happen between now and the end of the season, according to head coach Frank Lampard.

The Sky Blues have recovered from a run in which they lost four out of their eight games after Boxing Day to win their past three matches and move five points clear at the top of the Championship, but Lampard said is refusing to lose his focus.

"We're just happy. There's a lot of pressure from the outside, scrutiny on players and scrutiny on groups," he told BBC CWR.

"Everyone wants to highlight a good patch, which is fine, but you shouldn't get too high. Or they want to highlight a patch where you're not getting the results that you were. Don't look too far ahead as everyone will start talking about what may be and what others may do and that sort of stuff, which is not important for us."

Coventry host Stoke City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) which means a return to the CBS Arena for former head coach Mark Robins, but Lampard is determined they are not distracted from their goal this season.

"For us, it's just about continuing the work, and when momentum comes I feel it's deserved because of the work you have been putting in," he said.

"We always focus on the next game, take confidence from the good things, look where you can improve, and there are certainly things in those three wins we can improve in different ways."

Listen to more Coventry City interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Mark Robins returns to his former club Coventry City as manager of Stoke City for the second time, having lost 3-2 there last season.

When these two sides met at the bet365 Stadium in November, Stoke were second in the Championship table, just four points behind leaders Coventry.

The Sky Blues remain top of the table but are now 21 points ahead of their 13th-placed opponents.

• Following their 1-0 win in November, Coventry are hoping to complete the league double over Stoke for the first time since 1984-85.

• Stoke lost this exact fixture 3-2 last season, but have not lost consecutive away league games against Coventry since December 1982.

• Coventry have lost just three of their past 32 home league games (W23 D6), with those defeats coming against teams either in the Premier League this season (Leeds and Burnley) or last season (Ipswich).

• Stoke scored five goals in their first two away league games this season (2.5 per game), beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 and Southampton 2-1. Since then, they have scored just 10 times in 15 on the road (0.7 per game), netting more than once on just two further occasions.

• Haji Wright has scored five goals in his past four home league games for Coventry, one more than he had in his previous 14 appearances at the Coventry Building Society Arena.