City’s rude awakening

22 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By ANDY TURNER

THE Sky Blue Army travelled more in hope than expectation as Coventry City were given a baptism of fire on their return to Premier League football after 25 long years.

Up against the top flight champions, Arsenal showed no mercy as they raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 23 minutes, extending their lead to 3-0 four minutes into the second half as Frank Lampard’s men barely laid a glove on the Gunners.

The gulf in class was there for all to see and City understandably took a cautious approach early on as they weathered two corners in quick succession as the hosts exerted their authority.

The Sky Blues kept them at bay for just over 14 minutes before Kai Havertz swept home a square ball from fed in from Riccardo Calafiori to just inside the box in line with the penalty spot as Aurele Amenda stretched to block. But the Gunners’ striker had far too much time and space to pick his spot past Carl Rushworth to place the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Mikel Arteta’s men seemed to go up a gear after their goal and increased their lead just eight minutes later when they spread the ball wide on the left again and sent into another low cross to the box. This time it was close enough for Rushworth to react with a low save but the goalkeeper palmed it into the path of the lurking Bukayo Saka who tapped home into an unguarded net to make it 2-0.

It came as no surprise that City spent a lot of time without the ball as they attempted to contain the free flowing Londoners who bossed the game with over 63 percent of possession in the first half an hour. In fact the closest Coventry came to the opposition goal during that period was from an early corner that was comfortably cleared at the near post. Their first and only attempt before the break came in the 43rd minute when Loum Tchaouna sent a speculative overhead kick over David Raya and onto the roof of the net.

The visitors’ problem was that every time they stayed compact, Tzolis and Saka exploited the wide areas and when they covered out on the flanks, Rice and Odegaard played through them with seemingly time and space on the edge of the box.

And it was Odegaard who capitalised from just eight yards out just four minutes into the second 45, the forward perfectly placed to receive a pull back from the byline and hitting a shot that took a defection off Amenda to wrong-foot Rushworth who was unable to adjust his body to get a firm enough hand to keep it out. The goal left City trailing 3-0 with 49 minutes on the clock.

Lampard reacted with a change in personnel shortly after with Victor Torp going on for Caleb Yirenkyi – the summer signing having picked up a first half booking – while Jack Rudoni and Taiwo Awoniyi followed in the 70th minute, replacing Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-asante. Gus Hamer followed in the 82nd minute, replacing Tchaouna.

The fans enjoyed seeing their returning favourite on the pitch, slotting in wide to help stem the flow and prevent the home side from adding a fourth on a difficult night in North London.

Welcome to the Premier League! 

CITY (4-3-3): 

Carl Rushworth 4.5; 

Milan van Ewijk 4.5, Bobby Thomas 6.5, Aurele Amenda 6.5, Jay Dasilva 5: 

Frank Onyeka 4.5, Matt Grimes 5, Caleb Yirenkyi 5 (62 mins, for Victor Torp 6); 

Loum Tchaouna 5.5 (82 mins, for Gus Hamer), Ellis Simms 6 (70 mins, Taiwo Awoniyi 5), Brandon Thomas-Asante 5 (70 mins, for Jack Rudoni 4.5). 

Subs not used: 

Ben Wilson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Liam Kitching, Josh Eccles, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.

***

Gary McAllister believes the Sky Blues have what it 

takes to stay up in their return to the Premier League

Black Cats set an example for City says Mac

22 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By PATRICK AUSTEN-HARDY

COVENTRY City icon Gary McAllister believes Frank Lampard must take inspiration from Sunderland’s Premier League campaign last season. 

Last season, signed 18 players and went on to qualify for Europe for the first time in 53 years having earned promotion through the play-offs the season before.

Fast forward to this year, Lampard has already added significantly to his squad after the Championship-winning campaign last year. The Sky Blues’ spending has already surpassed the £100million mark having signed Caleb Yirenkyi, Carl Rushworth, Loum Tchaouna, Aurele Amenda, Taiwo Awoniyi, Gustavo Hamer, Frank Onyeka, Sidiki Cherif and Dan Bentley.

Lampard may even raid former club Chelsea for defensive prospect Josh Acheampong. Considering City’s spending has almost been as aggressive as Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland’s, former City midfield lynchpin and then manager McAllister believes the club must take inspiration from the Black Cats’ campaign and aim high.

Speaking exclusively to the Coventry Telegraph, at the opening of Boyle Sports’ Motherwell shop, McAllister said: “I think everybody should – 100 per cent.

“I think everybody who’s not necessarily following the same template of signing 12 (players)...just the fact that if you go up there with a belief and you get organised the way Le Bris has done it at Sunderland.”

While many new players have already come in for big money, McAllister believes the vital signing may have been making goalkeeper Rushworth’s loan move from Brighton and Hove Albion permanent.

He added: “I think the big one, the goalkeeper for me was excellent last season. And I think getting him to sign is a massive step, because they’re going to be under pressure and you need a good keeper.

“So I’ve seen the signings, I don’t know many of them, I know a couple of them. But they need to do it. Obviously, all the analysis will be done on these players and they need to bring something to add to the winning mentality of the players that jumped out of the Championship as champions.” Mcallister feels the fact City will be coming up as Championship winners may give them the psychological boost to preserve their Premier League status.

He added: “Some of the numbers are just remarkable. They beggar belief at times.

“But, I think it’s proven the team that comes up, they come up as champions. So they come up, and I think that helps. What Frank’s done, I think, was a massively brave move, by the chairman as well.

“Mark Robins is held in such high esteem he just could never quite get Coventry over the line and then back to the Premier League or the top division.

“So [owner] Mr [Doug] King made a big jump bringing Frank in. But ever since Frank’s arrival, it’s just been...just the levels, just that ability, the fact that he’s won at the highest level and represented his country brilliantly.

“That knowledge has just helped him give these players the belief to go and do it. And my feeling is, I think they’ve got enough to stay up.”

***

Experienced Bentley arrives as City’s ninth signing

22 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By JAMES PALLATT

COVENTRY City have confirmed the signing of Dan Bentley.

The 33-year-old goalkeeper joins on a two-year contract from Wolves to become the Sky Blues’ ninth summer signing.

Bentley only made three appearances last season as Rob Edwards’ side were relegated to the Championship after finishing bottom in the top flight.

However, he was named in the starting XIS for Wolves’ first two competitive fixtures this season keeping a clean sheet against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup first round and playing 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw with Blackburn in the Championship.

“Coventry City is a fantastic club and I’m really happy to get the deal over the line,” said Bentley.

“It feels like a place that’s developing and, off the back of a fantastic season last year, there’s a really good feel around the place.

“It’s really positive and there’s an obvious excitement to go into a new season with the aim of being as successful as possible.

“I’ll bring a lot of experience; I’m a senior player with good leadership qualities and someone who has really high standards.

“Of course, I want to make my mark on the pitch as well. There’s a really good goalkeeping group here, so I want to complement that group and when I get my opportunity, it’s down to me to take it.

“I want to help the club get results in the Premier League and see how far we can take it.”

Essex-born Bentley had a spell in Arsenal’s academy before joining Southend United as an apprentice and then going to make 141 appearances in a seven-year period.

He then played 123 times for Brentford and made 137 appearances for Bristol City before moving to Wolves under Julen Lopetegui in January 2023. Although primarily serving as an understudy, he played 17 times for the first team and brought leadership to the dressing room while at the club.