Frank Lampard’s Coventry are so close to the riches of the Premier League, they can already see the Championship finish line.
After a season spent dominating England’s second division the Sky Blues now find themselves just one point away from ending a 25-year hiatus from the Premier League.
When Coventry went down in the 2000-01 campaign it would have been unfathomable to many in the West Midlands that it would take them a quarter of a century to potentially make their return, after enjoying 34 years in the top flight until then.
But now — under the guidance of Lampard and thanks to the goals of Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante, alongside the likes of Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Milan van Ewijk and Matt Grimes who have been so crucial to everything about Coventry this term — the Premier League is calling.
ESPN takes you through all the permutations of just how Coventry can be a Premier League side once again.
– Championship promotion race: Coventry, Wrexham – who’s going up?
Don’t lose to Blackburn
So with just a point needed, the equation is actually very simple for Coventry.
They travel to Ewood Park under the lights on Friday night knowing that if they avoid defeat, Premier League status will be secured. Lampard’s side would reach 86 points with a draw and 88 with a win, both of which will prove enough to secure promotion.
Coventry came out comfortable 2-0 winners in the return fixture back in October with the familiar names of Victor Torp and Thomas-Asante securing all three points in a win that took the side back to the top of the Championship table at the time.
A performance of similar note this time around would bring the same result but a much more substantial reward for the Sky Blues.
And if things don’t go to plan?
With Blackburn embroiled in a very tight relegation scrap, they have it all to play for on Friday night. And Coventry know all too well how teams down the bottom of the Championship table are no easy task after their goalless draw against already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday last time out.
In the event that the league leaders fall to defeat at Ewood Park, when they would be promoted would then be out of their hands.
In this scenario, promotion would be confirmed if Millwall (third on 73 points) lose to QPR on Saturday, making the gap between the two sides insurmountable, with Coventry’s goal difference being 33 more than the London side.
If Millwall (and Ipswich) win, then Coventry’s promotion is back in their own hands against Portsmouth at home.
What role will Ipswich play?
Currently the favourites to secure the second automatic promotion spot just behind Coventry are the Tractor Boys, Ipswich.
Should Coventry come through Blackburn away with all three points, then the weekend could turn from a promotion party to a Championship-title winning party with Ipswich at the centre of it.
After Kieran McKenna’s side lost 2-0 to Portsmouth in one of their games in hand over Coventry they now find themselves in the unenviable position of knowing that defeat in their Saturday afternoon game against Middlesbrough could hand Coventry the title.
Coventry would be on 88 points with a win against Blackburn and if Ipswich lose to fellow promotion-chasers Boro, then Lampard’s side will be crowned Championship winners with three games left to play.
What has Frank Lampard said?
The man behind Coventry’s sensational season is keeping his feet on the ground with the Chelsea and England legend reminding his side to stay focused and “professional” despite promotion being so close.
“There’s always pressure but you realise at the business end of the season there’s pressure and everything’s heightened slightly but its normal, especially in our case with the season we’ve had and the journey we’ve been on,” Lampard said on Thursday.
“No game is easy, we say that every week in the Championship.
“We must be professional in our manner and if its not done as a whole then we must continue, but I would be like that even if there was to be a P [promoted] next to our name because I’ve lived this situation and I’ve seen drop offs at the end of the season that I don’t like.”
Lampard also said he’d love to get over the line in front of a large travelling Coventry support on Friday rather than leave promotion out of their own hands.
“We must fight against that by having standards right until the end so that’s what I’m portraying to the players. Why switch off when you can switch off in two and a bit weeks,” he added.
“We’d love to do it for that reason [travelling fans] but unfortunately Blackburn will be trying to win the game as well and we have to respect that, so nothing is a given but of course we’d like to do it with the game in front of us.
“Of course in front of our fans and we’ll have alot of our fans there tomorrow, we’ll try and do that [secure promotion].”
