Coventry end winless start with 4-0 demolition of Newcastle

Coventry come to life at last after Newcastle shellacking

After years of circling the drain, Coventry City finally look alive in the Premier League. The Sky Blues, who lost their opening four league games while shipping 10 goals without reply, responded to a difficult start with back-to-back wins following Monday night’s shellacking of a comically shambolic Newcastle side.

The victory was Coventry’s first top-flight home win since a semi-thatched John Hartson scored the only goal of their victory over Sunderland at Highfield Road in April 2001. The 4-0 win against the hapless Magpies saw Frank Lampard’s young and inexperienced side bag four goals, a stark contrast to the opening run where three of the defeats came against Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton, sides that currently occupy the top three places.

"We have to keep very much our feet on the ground because it’s so hard in this league," Lampard said. "If we think we’ve cracked it, if we think everything is fine … well, it’s not."

The improvement comes after a turbulent history for the Sky Blues, from the 1987 FA Cup triumph when Brian “Killer” Kilcline limped up the Wembley steps to hoist the trophy, through playoff heartbreak and a cruel denial from the 2024 FA Cup final within 11 months, to the slapstick Premier League return that many feared would see them beaten repeatedly.

Following Monday night, Jack Rudoni announced himself as the top-flight midfielder many Coventry fans suspected he might be. The Premier League season is still in its infancy but already shrouded in more uncertainty than any that has been played before, with the three promoted sides showing signs of life and the relegation battle shaping up as an eight- or nine-way fight.

The Football Daily newsletter also notes the wider weekend slate, with updates on England 4-0 Greece in the Women’s World Cup qualifying playoff and men’s fixtures including Arsenal 3-0 Lille and Atlético 1-0 Manchester United.