Coventry vs Millwall: Is Lampard's Coventry The Real Deal In The EFL Championship?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Coventry: A Season Of Belief For The Sky Blues
Coventry City's potential in the EFL Championship this season knows no bounds. The West Midlands outfit is currently mounting a strong promotion push to the Premier League. They last played in England's top division in the 2000-01 season, marking the end of a 34-year stay.
However, under the stewardship of Frank Lampard, who joined in late November 2024 in hopes of saving his managerial career, the Sky Blues have transformed from being relegation candidates to championship contenders.
After navigating 27 games so far this season, their record reads W16, D7, L4. This currently sees them occupying the top spot in the standings with 55 points to their name and has maintained a six-point cushion over promotion-chasing and title-contending Middlesbrough in second place.
A look at the EFL Championship standings heading into matchday 28:
| Position | Club | Matches Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals Fired (GF) | Goals Against (GA) | Goal Difference (GD) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Coventry City* | 27 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 59 | 30 | +29 | 55 |
| 2. | Middlesbrough* | 27 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 40 | 28 | +12 | 49 |
| 3. | Ipswich Town | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 45 | 24 | +21 | 47 |
| 4. | Millwall | 27 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 31 | 33 | -2 | 46 |
| 5. | Hull City | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 44 |
| 6. | Preston North End | 27 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 36 | 26 | +10 | 43 |
*automatic promotion spot
The Revival Under Frank Lampard Continues
Frank Lampard was appointed head coach for Coventry in late November 2024. He succeeded Mark Robins, the third-longest serving head coach in English football, after a series of poor results.
Obviously, the board's decision to sack Robins wasn't taken well by the Coventry faithful. With Lampard lifting the club that was embroiled in a relegation dogfight from 17th to 5th place in his debut, whatever had transpired in the past had become a distant memory.
The 47-year-old has managed three clubs in his managerial career prior to his current role, including boyhood club Chelsea, Derby County, and Everton. He has enjoyed much success at Coventry, where he has averaged 1.81 points per game in 63 games in charge.
Despite managing so many games in a short span of time, this marks his second meeting against Millwall in the EFL Championship. The first meeting went exactly as planned, securing a thumping 4-0 away victory on matchday eight. Can the Sky Blues complete a double over their opponents? Our SportyTrader betting experts expect a closely contested affair, as detailed in our Coventry City vs Millwall prediction.
This is the fifth time the two head coaches, Frank Lampard and Alex Neil, have crossed paths. In the previous four meetings, Lampard recorded two wins (one with Derby County), one draw, and a solitary defeat. There's a chance he can make it three wins this Tuesday under the bright lights of Coventry Building Society Arena.
Check out Frank Lampard's record as Coventry head coach:
- Matches managed: 63
- Wins: 34
- Draws: 12
- Losses: 17
- Goals scored: 111
- Goals against: 77
- Points: 114
- Points per game (PPG): 1.81
Lions on the Hunt As Promotion Race Heats Up
Languishing in the top four of the EFL Championship standings within the promotion playoff spot, Millwall still has high hopes of seeing their dreams of securing an automatic promotion spot materialize.
Having played the same number of games as Coventry City this season (27), Alex Neil's charges have accumulated 46 points and are three points behind the desired spot, which is occupied by Middlesbrough in second place.
Barring their 5-1 defeat to Premier League side Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup, the Lions are experiencing an upward trajectory in the EFL Championship. After losing two straight against Hull City and Blackburn, they've gone five games without defeat.
A 2-0 away win to Watford marked their third win in four games. Femi Azeez scored the opening goal in that match. The 24-year-old has been outstanding for his club thus far, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in the past 16 games.
Azeez should be confident of extending his goal tally to eight and goal contributions to nine by getting on the scoreboard against a side that has been plagued by defensive lapses, failing to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive matches.
