Twenty-five years in the waiting – Coventry’s nightmare top-flight return

Twenty-five years in the waiting – Coventry's nightmare top-flight return. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sunday's loss was the joint-heaviest defeat of Frank Lampard's managerial careerPublished13 September 2026ByKeifer MacDonaldBBC Sport journalistByJess AndersonBBC Sport journalistCoventry have waited 25 years for a return to the Premier League, but the reality of realising that dream is suddenly starting to look rather miserable.

What happened

Coventry City's dream return to the Premier League is beginning to unravel after a fourth consecutive defeat – but can Frank Lampard turn it around? In the wider history of the English top flight, 10 of the 18 teams who have lost their first four matches of a season have been relegated (56%). 'We're not feeling sorry for ourselves'It is not the first time Lampard has been tasked with transforming the fortunes of Coventry. Their campaign could not have started much worse with four successive defeats all without scoring a goal – the latest a 5-0 thrashing at home to Brighton – highlighting the brutality of the top flight.

Their lack of goals means they are only the fifth side in English top-flight history to lose each of their opening four matches of the campaign while also failing to score at least once – after Derby Country (1899-1900), Stoke City (1906-07), Preston North End (1924-25) and Crystal Palace (2017-18). Figure caption, Highlights – Brighton ease to victory as Coventry's winless start goes onCoventry's performance last weekend against Manchester City appeared to be a step in the right direction.

Coventry have now lost their last 46 Premier League matches when conceding first, a run that stretches back to March 1999. Former Man Utd and England striker Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport: "The big problem for Coventry is that losing by a margin of 5-0 just takes all the confidence away from the players.

The wider picture

""There's been some really poor defending from Coventry today," added former Manchester United captain Roy Keane on Sky Sports. Less than 18 months later, the 48-year-old was being hailed as a miracle worker after overseeing Coventry's dominant Championship campaign, which ended with the club's first promotion to the Premier League since 2001. But his record in the top flight during his time at Chelsea and Everton was less impressive, with the former England international having won only four of his last 34 matches.

"Follow Coventry City on BBC SoundsPre-match, post-match and topical Sky Blues content Listen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about CoventryRelated topicsFootballPremier LeagueCoventry CityMore on this storyLatest Coventry City news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Coventry City – what do you want to know? The unwanted records are already beginning to pile up for Frank Lampard's side. It is the club's worst start to a season since 1919-20 when they lost their opening nine matches in what was their first league campaign.

Even though the West Midlands side had been dealt a tough start to life back in the big time, including fixtures at Arsenal and Manchester City, the manner in which they were thrashed on Sunday will raise alarm bells about what the rest of the season might have in store. The Sky Blues were unlucky not to come away with at least a point as they put goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma under real pressure with 12 shots and recorded an xG of 1.

What has been reported

Those signs of improvement continued in the first half against Brighton as they fired off 10 shots and created a handful of chances through Frank Onyeka and Jack Rudoni, while trailing by just one goal at the break. But things began to unravel shortly after the break when some poor defending handed Brighton the opportunity to double their lead, before Taiwo Awoniyi was sent off for a flailing elbow two minutes later. "They will be looking at other teams above them and they will feel a million miles off right now.

Frank [Lampard] and the players just have to find a way to get through this. There's no doubt they'll be down and hurting right now. They've being doing some good stuff and have created chances in the last two games, but they just haven't taken them. What's important is that the squad stays together and on the same page. "You would think at 3-0 they would take the defeat and move on, but with some of the decision making today. . . they start looking like a Championship team.

What happens next

"Frank has got to be really careful now that this team do not lose their belief. "Since the Premier League began in 1992, only one promoted team (Southampton – 2012-13) has survived relegation after losing their opening four matches of the season. When he was appointed as Mark Robins' successor in November 2024, the Sky Blues were 17th in the Championship, only two points above the relegation places. "The players gave everything until the end but it doesn't feel nice.

We have to take some responsibility and understand they are the levels we need to raise to," Lampard told Sky Sports. We are four games into the season when we have played the two most difficult fixtures [Arsenal and Manchester City away]. You always have to continue to work and the feeling is different in the Premier League.