Coventry end 25-year Premier League wait as Jay Dasilva downs Nottingham Forest

Sky Blue heaven at the City Ground

Coventry City's first taste of victory in English football's top flight since April 2001 proved as sweet as the rapturous celebrations suggested. Jay Dasilva's excellent goal, built on the foundations of a battling defensive performance, settled a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest and carried the Sky Blues past 100 Premier League wins after more than a quarter of a century stranded on 99.

Frank Lampard's side arrived at the City Ground on the back of a 5-0 home drubbing by Brighton, with doubts over his capabilities as a Premier League manager revived by a troubled start to the campaign and far too many echoes of a quarter century in the wilderness. Victory, celebrated deafeningly by fans determined to enjoy themselves under the weakening early-evening sun, was an object lesson in unsettling opponents for whom confidence can waver.

"It's been a tough opening for us, so those first Premier League points feel great," Lampard told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I thought the players were brilliant. The fight, work ethic and togetherness but also the tactical side of it. They dug and fought for each other which is what you need to win a Premier League game."

The long-awaited landmark

Wind the clock back to April 2001 and the last time Coventry tasted victory in the top flight: a 1-0 win over Sunderland, John Hartson heading in the winner for Gordon Strachan's side in front of 20,946 fans at Highfield Road. Much has happened in the 9,287 days since. Relegation at the end of that campaign, 11 seasons in the second tier, a drop to League One in 2012, points deductions, a stint in administration, a bitter rent dispute over the Ricoh Arena, matches played away at Northampton Town and a plunge to the fourth tier for the first time in 59 years in 2017.

Doubtless there were those packed into the Bridgford Stand who lived through those years of Sky Blue hell, making the full-time whistle feel like Sky Blue heaven. The previous Coventry scorer in the Premier League had been Mustapha Hadji in a losing effort at Aston Villa that confirmed relegation on 5 May 2001.

Dasilva, showing admirable strength for someone of such diminutive dimensions and a beautiful first touch to beat Daniel Muñoz, blazed a diagonal ball from his goalkeeper, Carl Rushworth, after Loum Tchaouna's half-time arrival had offered a warning of the long-ball tactics to come. The finish was just as adept, with the celebrations deafening. Opta noted it is just the second time a team's first goal of a Premier League campaign has been assisted by a goalkeeper, after Peter Schmeichel for Manchester United in 1992-93.

"I feel great, I feel amazing," Lampard declared with his broadest grin, before returning, as is his way, to serious business. "The reality in football is you have to fight for it, you have to work for it, you have to have organisation."

Forest's wretched home record deepens

For Nottingham Forest, the loss extends a wretched home league record in 2026: only Burnley, in April, have left the City Ground in defeat. "We struggled with scoring," was Oliver Glasner's simple diagnosis. "Today was the first time I could feel the heaviness of the past, it was very quiet in the dressing room. When we conceded the goal, everyone was nervous, the entire ground was nervous and I think the reason is last year."

The previous week's victory at Aston Villa had offered further confirmation of Morgan Gibbs-White's importance to Forest, as if it were needed. He remains ignored by Thomas Tuchel despite verifiable claims of being the most in-form English No 10 around, only Pascal Gross creating more chances in the Premier League this season. Early promise — a deft header to Liam Delap and a cogent flick to James McAtee — suggested Gibbs-White was in the mood, but Forest never found the momentum to crack Coventry's defensive shield. With the game growing ragged, Chris Wood, old reliable, was thrown on along with Igor Jesus, Delap pushed to the wings, and Forest lost their shape and poise further.

VAR rage at the City Ground

Igor Jesus did get the ball in the net, only for the video assistant referee to advise Jarred Gillett that Caleb Yirenkyi had been fouled, and the on-pitch official agreed. It looked harsh: Yirenkyi had fallen readily under minimal contact, Bobby Thomas having dashed back to the goal line to clear a chip that had Rushworth beaten.

"I was worried," Lampard admitted, while a shrugging Glasner said: "The referee decided and we accept it, that's it."

Forest fans have had more than their fill of video-assisted officiating. Their seething, guttural rage stood in stark contrast to Coventry supporters now able to savour the Premier League ride. The scale of the task ahead is not lost on the victors, however.

"It's really important for some of the players," Lampard told BBC Match of the Day. "For many of them it is their debut in the Premier League, they haven't been here before and they need to feel like they belong and play like that." He added: "We'll keep our feet on the ground because it is one win, but it was needed for us."

"Something we have to build on and not get too carried away," said Bobby Thomas, having personified the rearguard effort. "We are a team with a lot of players having their first stint in Premier League football," Lampard concluded. "Not everyone is a Wayne Rooney or a superstar that can just own it." Forest hit 26 shots on Coventry's goal, just three on target — the numbers telling the story of a side apparently still heavy with the past.