Coventry City

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

There is good news for Ipswich Town and Hull City in that every promoted side since 2015-16 to take 11 points or more from their first 10 games - and there has been 14 of them - have survived.

The most recent promoted team to make as bright a start and go down were Cardiff City in 2013-14, who were 12th with 12 points but finished bottom on 30 points.

The outlook is a little bleaker for Coventry City.

Only two promoted sides in the past 11 seasons have taken fewer than 11 points and survived - Bournemouth in 2015-16 (eight) and Nottingham Forest in 2022-23 (five).

Frank Lampard's men are also the seventh promoted side to take exactly nine points from their first 10 games - two of the previous six survived (Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2009-10 and Leicester City in 2014-15).

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Coventry and Fulham are both vying to sign Real Betis' Spanish winger Rodrigo Riquelme, 26. (4-4-2.ch - in German), external

Meanwhile, Newcastle and Leeds have been keeping a close eye on Sky Blues midfielder Jack Rudoni. (Teamtalk), external

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Coventry City fan Adam Sloman says the Sky Blue army must support goalkeeper Carl Rushworth amid increasing scrutiny of his performances this season.

The shot-stopper, who was a standout player in the Championship title-winning squad, has conceded 19 goals in 10 games, with three of those against Everton on Friday.

Speaking on BBC CWR's Sky Blues Fancast, Sloman said: "You should never get beaten at your near post, but should he have even faced that shot? Someone had to stop that shot by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

"He is just one of 11 players so if someone has got that far to make that shot, they've beaten 10 other players.

"Like a lot of our players, he is learning his trade and stepping up to the Premier League.

"All of us were desperate for him to sign in the summer so I think we need to look at what he did for us last year, the potential that he has and be patient. He just needs time.

"Also, when you look at the rest of the goalkeeping department, I'm not sure Dan Bentley is the right man, nor Ben Wilson.

"We have to support him, be patient and give credit where it's due, because he has helped to set up goals too."

Former Coventry goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic added: "He needs a game where he saves everything because that happens as goalkeepers.

" I don't think he's in the best form because he's let quite a number of goals in and some of them have had question marks over them, but you can put some of them down to just bad luck.

"I've seen enough of him to know that he's a quality goalkeeper and he just needs a game to make him feel that again."

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Will Oelrich
BBC CWR Coventry reporter

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It's only been 10 games since Coventry City's return to the Premier League, but Sky Blues supporters have already experienced just about every emotion possible.

The opening weeks of the campaign have provided plenty of lessons, while several players have shown they are capable of stepping up to the demands of top-flight football.

Despite difficult trips to Arsenal and Manchester City, there remained genuine belief within the Coventry camp that they could compete at this level. However, home defeats by Hull City and Brighton sparked concerns, with confidence dipping and questions beginning to emerge about where the points would come from.

For me, the turning point came at Nottingham Forest.

It may only have been the fifth game of the season, but Coventry demonstrated determination, resilience and, most importantly, a willingness to leave everything on the pitch. They played without fear and showed they belonged in the division.

Victories over Newcastle United and Sunderland followed, leaving Frank Lampard's side on nine points after 10 matches.

That tally is enough to keep Coventry outside the relegation zone and, right now, that is all many supporters will care about. But there is still room for improvement across the pitch if the Sky Blues are to secure their top-flight status for another season.

One player under the spotlight is goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. Recent performances have drawn criticism from some supporters on social media and, following the club's significant investment to bring him in, scrutiny is inevitable.

Yet, Rushworth remains a goalkeeper with enormous potential. Confidence can be a fragile thing for any player, particularly a goalkeeper, and Coventry's coaching staff will be keen to ensure he continues to develop. There is no doubt he possesses the talent to establish himself at the highest level.

If the campaign ended today, Coventry supporters would happily accept 17th place. But with 28 games still remaining, there is a long way to go.

A demanding festive schedule lies ahead and Lampard will already be considering where his squad can be strengthened when the January transfer window opens.

His recruitment record offers encouragement, with midfielders Matt Grimes and Frank Onyeka proving influential additions after arriving in recent winter windows.

Survival remains the objective, but after 10 games, Coventry have shown enough to suggest they are capable of making this season a successful one.

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Coventry City defender Ethan Pinnock says they didn't "settle the game" as well as they could have after taking the lead at Everton and it resulted in David Moyes' side scoring two goals in nine minutes.

Reflecting on Friday's 3-1 defeat, Pinnock told BBC CWR: "Very disappointed with the result in the end because I think we deserved more from the game.

"In spells, we did really well and created good opportunities but we just didn't manage to get over the line.

"I think it's about trying to remain calm. We got the goal soon after half-time, but it's important after that to settle the game and we didn't quite do that as well as we could have.

"But I couldn't fault the boys' effort as they gave everything and on another day we'd get something out of the game."

Press play above to hear Pinnock's full interview, or listen here on BBC Sounds.

Everton are ahead of Sunderland and Coventry City in the race to sign 19-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Abdoulaye Doumbia from Swedish side BK Hacken. (Football Insider), external

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We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Everton and Coventry.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

Jack: Pretty good performance all round. Dewsbury Hall gave Tuchel something to think about, Barry just gets better with every game. There was a period in the first half when we lost control of the game and they should have punished us. I thought both "penalty" decisions were correct, although I can understand why Lampard disagreed, especially the Tarkowski one. In the top six or seven going into the international break, a thumbs up.

Fraz: Everton looked good again, we seem to want to attack more and have a desire to win. Disappointing to see another hair-pulling incident. If players followed the rules properly and had their hair secured like it should, the pull doesn't happen. He's trying to place his hand on his back and get a bit of shirt.

Tony: Great result that Coventry made us work for. Also very pleased for the hard-working Barry and for Moyes equalling most games as Everton manager. If you'd have said in August where we'd be now in November, in both league and cup, you'd have taken it with big doubt. Hope we can maintain and build on what we've done so far this season.

Dusty: Controversy aside, that was a solid performance from the whole team. Coventry deserved their goal but Everton were just too good on the night. Big mention for Barry, who has pleasantly surprised me and taken the lone striker responsibility with gusto.

Coventry fans

Marek: You just cannot ask for more. Coventry players working hard together. Another few weeks and we will be tucking the wins under our belt.

Clive: If Barry was the scorer, then this confirms that his hand ushered the ball past Rushworth. It was a movement towards the ball, and the ball changed direction. The two penalty claims were solid, but neither was treated with any seriousness by the VAR official. Likewise, the point where and Everton player placed his hand on the ball as if to take a free kick, but the referee had already signalled "play on"... inconsequential, but nevertheless one the referee let go on that moment. It was a cracking game, and a 2-2 draw might have been a fairer result. The stats show how well Coventry competed.

Jackie: You have to question VAR here, especially the second goal, definitely a handball! Coventry played well, heads held high and we go again after the break, PUSB!

Bud: Competed throughout against a team chasing Europe, three horrific refereeing decisions killed it for us, then poor game management with lack of subs. Not angry at the performance and could've been so much different.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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Three big VAR calls, and they all went against Coventry. Frank Lampard must have walked under a ladder earlier today.

There is a strong argument that the Sky Blues should have been awarded a penalty for the James Tarkowski hair pull

The law was relaxed at the start of this season to say not all hair pulling should be a red card, after three players were sent off last season.

The idea is that not all contact with the hair should be an offence, and it needs to be an act with excessive force for a player to be sent off.

But, for a penalty, the actions of Tarkowski only need to be a foul, not violent conduct. If accidental, it should not be a spot-kick.

Did Timothy Wood, the VAR, concentrate too much on a possible handball by Tarkowski within the move?

It looked like there was a movement of Tarkowski's arm to pull the hair which should have led to a VAR intervention. Coventry probably should have received a penalty.

Then early in the second half came a possible penalty as Vitalii Mykolenko clipped Taiwo Awoniyi.

The camera positioned level with the edge of the penalty area did seem to show the contact was outside the area, and the VAR cannot intervene to award a free-kick.

It might have been a soft VAR intervention even if the potential foul was inside the box.

Perhaps most controversially was Thierno Barry's second goal, with the ball appearing to touch the striker's arm before it went into the goal.

We have seen this kind of situation a few times this season, most notably when Nottingham Forest had a goal against Tottenham disallowed.

This time, the VAR decided he did not have the necessary conclusive proof to be sure the ball touched the hand.

Yet it does seem like there is a change of direction after Barry's hand touches the ball, and that was the reason it goes into the goal. It looked like handball should have been given on video review although others might argue that ruling it out would have been too forensic.

Three decisions, and Coventry can feel aggrieved about two of them.

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Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

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What did you make of Coventry City's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies.

Coventry boss Frank Lampard, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "A lot of good stuff in the way we played, which makes it really difficult to lose the game. Big decisions affected the game, clearly.

"The VAR ones, VAR looked at them. The [James Tarkowski] hair pull on Caleb [Yirenkyi], Taiwo [Awoniyi] I think he gets contact on the edge of the box, which is a penalty. Then the second goal for them comes off the player's hand.

"If you're going to check the angles, there is an angle where it flicks in off his hand. VAR looked at it and decided not. The last touch to score is off the hand, in my opinion.

"I've seen a conclusive angle so I can disagree. I understand they are going to back themselves. That's fine, and it's hard to say it's not a hair pull. It's an in-between kind of hair pull, that's a funny area to be in, so I don't get that one either.

"We have to keep working. I'm seeing progression in the team. We have to work hard. There is a good spirit with us and we have to keep improving."

Did you know?

• Coventry City have lost seven of their first 10 league games in a season for just the third time in their history, also doing so in 1919-20 (nine) and 1920-21 (seven), which were their first two seasons in the Football League.

• On the last six occasions a former Everton manager has faced the Toffees in the Premier League, they have lost all six matches – Marco Silva (three times), Sean Dyche (twice) and Frank Lampard tonight.

Listen to more match reaction from Lampard on BBC Sounds

Three big VAR calls, and they all went against Coventry. Frank Lampard must have walked under a ladder.

There is a strong argument that the Sky Blues should have been awarded a penalty just before half-time for a hair pull by James Tarkowski on Caleb Yirenkyi.

The law was relaxed at the start of this season to say not all hair pulling should be a red card, after three players were sent off last season.

The idea is that not all contact with the hair should be an offence, and it needs to be an act with excessive force for a player to be sent off.

But of course for a penalty the actions of Tarkowski only need to be a foul, not violent conduct. But if accidental, it should not be a spot-kick.

Did the video assistant referee, Tim Wood, concentrate too much on a possible handball by Tarkowski within the move?

It looked like there was a movement of Tarkowski's arm to pull the hair which should have led to a VAR intervention. Coventry probably should have received a penalty.

Then early in the second half came a possible penalty as Vitalii Mykolenko clipped Taiwo Awoniyi.

The camera positioned level with the edge of the penalty area did seem to show the contact was outside the area, and the VAR cannot intervene to award a free-kick.

It might have been a soft VAR intervention even if the potential foul was inside the box.

Perhaps most controversially was Thierno Barry's second goal, with the ball appearing to touch the striker's arm before it went into the goal.

We have seen this kind of situation a few times this season, most notably when Nottingham Forest had a goal against Tottenham disallowed.

This time, the VAR decided he did not have the necessary conclusive proof to be sure the ball touched the hand.

Yet it does seem like there is a change of direction after Barry's hand touches the ball, and that was the reason it goes into the goal. It looked like handball should have been given on video review.

Three decisions, and Coventry can feel aggrieved about two of them.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry will feel hard done by and claim decisions went against them but they ran out of steam in the second half.

They were controlled and confident in the first half were not able to build on Yann Gboho's early goal after the break.

Frank Lampard will point to the decision not to award a penalty for James Tarkowski pulling Caleb Yirenkyi's hair but the guidance has been relaxed this season, meaning an instant foul is not a given.

The officials would have looked for excessive force and decided, with Tarkowski also jumping for the ball, it did not pass the high bar.

But it would be wrong to focus on that as the Sky Blues were unable to handle the hosts once Thierno Barry scored the equaliser.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Everton will attempt to win back-to-back Premier League games against improving Coventry City in a first meeting between the clubs in 25 years.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton will attempt to win a third game in the space of just 10 days when they host former Toffees boss Frank Lampard and his Coventry side on Friday.

The two victories over the past week – against Newcastle United in both the Carabao Cup and Premier League – have been achieved without Jack Grealish, who has been suspended by the club following a breach of indiscipline reportedly linked to a missed training session.

Manager David Moyes confirmed on Thursday that Grealish will again miss out at Hill Dickinson Stadium and in his absence other Everton players have stepped to the fore.

Striker Thierno Barry scored in both wins against Newcastle to take his tally for this season to eight, already matching his total from 2025-26 despite playing 29 fewer matches.

Winger Tyrique George, 20, provided the winning assist on Monday at St James' Park, where 19-year-old midfielder Harrison Armstrong was again an influential performer.

The club's younger players have been growing in influence this season and while Moyes' hand has been partly forced by player departures resulting in a small playing squad, the average age of Everton's starting XI has been the youngest of the Scot's managerial career.

Everton's youth have been ably supported by an experienced core in recent weeks, with midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall back close to his best.

The 28-year-old has created 21 chances in the Premier League this season, more than double the tally of any other Everton player.

Barry, George and Dewsbury-Hall will all likely be needed if Everton are to continue their winning run against a Coventry side improving steadily in recent weeks.

The Sky Blues failed to score as they lost their opening four matches on their return to the Premier League but they have since won three of the past five, including a 3-1 victory over Sunderland last time out.

Lampard's side have been far more clinical in front of goal in those five matches, scoring nine times from an expected goals tally of just 4.12.

It is the biggest overperformance of xG by any Premier League team over the five-game period.

Everton and Coventry have not faced each other since 2001 but Lampard is likely to get a warm reception on Merseyside having steered the Toffees away from the threat of relegation in 2021-22 with a win in their penultimate match of that campaign against Crystal Palace.

In the opposition dugout, Moyes will celebrate equalling Harry Catterick's club record of 592 games at the helm in a first appearance against Coventry – the 45th side he has faced in his Premier League career.

Despite Coventry's start to the season - after defeats by Arsenal, Hull, Manchester City and Brighton - the optimism at the training ground did not waver.

The positive mood at the club's Ryton base remains, following Saturday's victory over Sunderland, as it did after the 5-0 home thumping by Brighton.

It was accepted the game, where Coventry played almost 45 minutes with 10 men following Taiwo Awoniyi's dismissal, can happen in the Premier League - and there was no hangover.

There was a belief there was enough evidence in performances against Hull, Manchester City and Arsenal the Sky Blues could compete in the top flight.

Then, after a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat by Aston Villa, Frank Lampard tweaked the system to match Nottingham Forest's back three to earn a 1-0 win at the City Ground.

"The result sometimes you can't quite control, but you can control your idea going into a game, that maximises our strengths and looks at the opposition's," said Lampard, who is in before 7.30am every morning, using the gym before training.

"There can be various reasons why we do it. We went to Nottingham Forest and we matched up their formation because I wasn't keen to go there in the moment we were in with a back four and the problems they can give you with wing-backs and 10s.

"It's not just my, or our, choice on formation which is going to win or lose games. We know we have a big fight so every small percentage in our set-up if we feel that way we will do it - but we must feel it's going to be the right one."

Lampard has always been tactically flexible and three wins in five games has allowed Coventry to climb out of the relegation zone.

The stats provide interesting reading too, especially when compared with the 1-0 defeat by Hull which could have been so damaging in the first home game of the season.

Then, Coventry had 68.5% possession but that dropped to 42.6% in the 3-1 win over Sunderland. The Sky Blues also made more than 200 fewer passes and more than 50 fewer forward passes against the Black Cats.

Their passes in the final third more than halved from 128 to just 60, as the patience - and even pragmatism - paid off as the Sky Blues begin to understand the demands of the division.

The benching of skipper Matt Grimes, key in last season's promotion, was also a big call from Lampard but one which has been met with understanding from within.

Coventry still have the lowest xG (expected goals) in the Premier League of 8.34 but lessons have been learned from the frustration of the opening weeks, even if those at the club recognise the difficult start given three of their opening four away games were at Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

After Everton, Coventry host Crystal Palace and Ipswich either side of a trip to Leeds to complete a run sources felt would be crucial to their survival hopes.

"When you're in the zone, enjoyment of the win is pretty short-lived - you switch your attention to the next game. Relaxation and complacency is the biggest danger in this game," said Lampard.

"If we can keep the strength of feeling, even when difficult results come, we will give ourselves a chance."

Read more of Nick's article

Like all the promoted teams, Coventry are having a go in games.

It has worked too, because they have picked up a few wins so far - they have three in the Premier League, as many as sixth-place Brentford.

It has been a strange season for the Sky Blues so far, because their performances have been a bit up and down. They can look very open, but those wins are the reward for their brave approach.

I don't see them getting anything here, however, on Frank Lampard's return to his former club.

Everton are not a free-scoring side, but I think they will have a bit too much nous for Coventry.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Coventry boss Frank Lampard has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Lampard gave nothing away on the fitness of Bobby Thomas and Frank Onyeka. Josh Eccles and Luke Wolfenden are "back on the grass but very tentative", so he was unable to provide a timeline for their returns.

• On how important Ethan Pinnock is for the dressing room: "He's been outstanding. I've followed Ethan's career for a long time. I was at Derby and I was interested at that point but we weren't able to get him. But I've followed his career since then. Ethan has delivered his experience in a really calm manner, he's got this really nice demeanour about him on and off the pitch."

• He added: "His performances and how he played, I think he has been outstanding and I think Coventry fans have seen that. I've certainly appreciated that and hence he gets the armband last week when [Matt] Grimes wasn't starting the game. He's a professional like that and if you could have 20 Ethan Pinnock's in the way they approach football I think you would be very happy."

• Lampard says he has been "impressed" with his former club Everton this season and that they have got a "good manager" in David Moyes who "maximises" the squad that he has.

• On his Everton tenure, Lampard said he "really enjoyed his time" and said there was a real "personality and passion" about the club.

• After Coventry launched a phone line for fans, external to leave messages of support, Lampard was asked who he would call in football for support and he selected Harry Redknapp.

Listen to Lampard in full below and on BBC Sounds here