Coventry City have been handed positive news on the injury front as they turn their focus towards facing Sunderland in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Frank Lampard’s side have enjoyed a fine upturn in form since the former Chelsea midfielder was appointed in November and they officially claimed their place in the top six with a 2-0 home win against fellow play-off contenders Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon. The Sky Blues went into the game sat in the top six and two goals from midfielder Jack Rudoni was enough to see off Michael Carrick’s men and set up their two-legged affair with Sunderland.
However, the good news had already started ahead of their game against Boro after Lampard was able to hand recalls to a number of players that have been on the sidelines in recent weeks and months. After goalkeeper Brad Collins was at fault for a late goal in his side’s defeat against Luton Town seven days earlier, Lampard restored former Sunderland academy goalkeeper Ben Wilson to his starting eleven and was rewarded with a hard-earned clean sheet. That marked Wilson’s first appearance in seven months and the Stanley-born stopper could now be in contention to start in the first leg of the play-off final on Friday night.
There was more good news for the Sky Blues as key wing-back Milan van Ewijk returned after missing the Luton game with a groin injury and he was not the only returnee in Lampard’s defence as centre-back Bobby Thomas recovered from a calf strain after missing his side’s previous four league games.
However, the Sky Blues will await news on the fitness of Belgian striker Norman Bassette as he continues to work his way back from an injury he picked up in training ahead of the win against Middlesbrough and Lampard will hope winger Ephron Mason-Clark can recover from a foot injury that has left him on the sidelines a 1-0 home win against Portsmouth in early April.
What has Frank Lampard said about facing Sunderland in the Championship play-offs?
Speaking after his side’s 2-0 win against Middlesbrough, the former Chelsea and England midfielder told Sky Sports: “We have to expect the best version of Sunderland, who for the first half and more of the season were really strong, that’s why they’re there. Maybe, the idea of a bit of cruise control because getting there is not easy to manage, now we go into a different environment. Now, I’d expect the best version of them. It’s nice to give us an extra days rest for the game and we know it’s going to be really tough over both games. We need to reboot, rest up and go again.”
What has Regis Le Bris said about facing Coventry City in the Championship play-offs?
“For me, I have in my head the games we played against Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley,” the Black Cats boss said after Saturday’s home defeat against Queens Park Rangers.
“These games were ‘play-off games’ and we always played well in these situations. If it was two, three, four months before, we’ll be ready to do it again, I have no doubt about this.”
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