Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Coventry: are City bottling it?

Frank Lampard’s Coventry City remain top of the Sky Bet Championship, but are now only ahead of title rivals Middlesbrough on goal difference after a 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers last weekend.

City went into this one winless on their travels in two months, and it was the home side who looked most likely to break the deadlock in the first half. Brighton loanee Carl Rushworth was forced into a fine backpedalling save to deny the opportunistic Richard Kone the opener for QPR on 36 minutes.

The home side were then denied a penalty for what looked like a foul on Paul Smyth in the box from Sky Blues skipper Matt Grimes on the stroke of half time. Lucky that the referee didn’t point to the spot, Frank Lampard’s men narrowly survived the ensuing onslaught on their penalty area, and made it to the break on level terms.

It was Hoops manager Julien Stephan’s decision to introduce Koki Sato which won the day

As good teams so often do, Coventry found themselves in the lead despite a thoroughly underwhelming performance. On 53 minutes, talisman Jack Rudoni’s cross was met at the far post by the unmarked Josh Eccles, much to the delight of an anxious away end. The academy graduate’s goal would prove to be Coventry’s only shot on target in regular time, however, as QPR quickly rallied to peg the visitors back.

It was Kone who soon found the leveller, turning in Madsen’s cross with a fine finish on 66 minutes. The former Wycombe man left Rushworth with no chance at the second time of asking, after defender Liam Kitching stepped in at the wrong time to try regain possession and left the back line exposed.

Both managers made changes to try and find a winner, but it was Hoops manager Julien Stephan’s decision to introduce Koki Sato which won the day. The Japanese winger slipped in former Chelsea man Harvey Vale, and Rushworth could only parry the cross into the path of the onrushing Nicolas Madsen, who sent Loftus Road into raptures.

Coventry have taken just three points from their last seven games on the road

City failed to pose any serious threat to Liam Walsh in the QPR goal, as the home crowd roared their side to a win against the very same opposition that beat them 7-1 at the CBS Arena in August.

Coventry, who seemed all but promoted a few short weeks ago, have taken just three points from their last seven games on the road, form that cannot continue if they wish to stave off Middlesbrough and Ipswich for a place in the top 2.

They will hope the late additions of Janoah Markelo and Frank Onyeka in the January transfer window, who join loanees Romain Esse and Yang Min-Hyeok, can give them the boost needed to return to the top flight for the first time in a quarter of a century.

City’s next two fixtures are both at home, where they have been formidable, winning 10 from their last eleven. The standout game is a mouth-watering top of table clash with Middlesbrough on Monday.

Lampard is under no illusions that his side needs to return to winning ways soon

Lampard can take comfort that the last two title winners in the Championship, Leicester and Leeds, also suffered blips in their campaigns yet were ultimately successful. Unlike Enzo Maresca and Daniel Farke however, the former Chelsea captain does not have the luxury of a squad with Premier League experience to call upon to reinvigorate their campaign.

The Sky Blues boss is under no illusions that his side needs to return to winning ways soon, admitting after the game that “it’s a race from now and we need to pick ourselves up very quickly.”

If they don’t, City risk joining Sheffield United and Leeds as teams that will feel they ought to have gone up automatically, only to be beaten by one of the chasing pack in the notoriously challenging Championship playoffs.