Shropshire Star

Coventry City are united and chasing a Premier League return

One of the uplifting stories of the Championship, as we head into the second part of the season, has been the resurgence of Coventry City. Last Saturday’s 3-1 win over runaway leaders Leicester City at the CBS Arena had the stadium rocking, and the three points took the Sky Blues into the play-off places.

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Coventry City manager Mark Robins

After a slow start to the season, when Mark Robins’ side picked up just one win in their opening eight games, the team have really clicked lately. The current run of form has seen Coventry lose just once in their last 12 games, including four wins in their last five outings.

The ponderous start can be put down to two factors. There was an inevitable hangover and regrouping after the heartbreak of the play-off final in May, when the Sky Blues were denied promotion to the Premier League in a penalty shootout.

That included the departure of several players including star striker Victor Gyokores, who is having an impressive season in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon. Shorn of his main attacking threat, Robins had to find a way through the opening weeks of the season with new signings Ellis Sims and Haji Wright struggling to fill the shoes of the departing Swede.

The second factor was Callum O’Hare’s absence. He started his first game in almost a year at Ipswich Town on December 2 after a long-term cruciate ligament injury lay-off. Since that defeat at Portman Road, Coventry haven’t looked back recording five wins and three draws in the league.