Frank Lampard has found Coventry’s unlikely key to survival as player's standout stats emerge
Frank Lampard has stumbled upon the solution to keeping Coventry in the Premier League by handing Brandon Thomas-Asante regular starts in the last few weeks.
Coventry were being written off by many across the footballing world after a tough return to the top flight saw them lose their first four league games without scoring.
They have since bounced back to beat Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, and were a tough match for Tottenham before ultimately losing in North London on Monday night.
Sky Blues boss Lampard will be pleased enough with what he has seen from their last three matches to know that they have every chance of survival this season.
It seems like no coincidence that Thomas-Asante's return to the starting eleven has seen their performances improve over the last month.
The versatile Ghanaian forward has impressed after being handed extended chances in the side, and could emerge as a key asset in their battle for survival this season.
Brandon Thomas-Asante could be the catalyst for Coventry avoiding relegation this season
Thomas-Asante is into his third season as a Coventry player, but has never truly managed to nail down a starting spot for a lengthy period.
The 27-year-old started just 14 league games in his first season at the club, then started 21 times in the second tier as they won promotion last term.
He impressed at the end of 2025-26, but looked to have fallen back down the pecking order following promotion after starting just one of the Sky Blues' first six games of this campaign in league and cup.
Thomas-Asante has since returned to the fold as both a striker and left-winger to fantastic effect, assisting twice in his last three appearances as Lampard's side begin to become much more competitive.
The Ghanaian international was his side's standout player against Spurs on Monday, as he set Jack Rudoni up to score with the only big chance created of the game and took the most touches in the opposition box (4) of any Coventry attacker or midfielder.
He also won the most ground duels (7), won the most fouls (4) and made the most interceptions (3) of any player on the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Most Sky Blues fans would not have expected him to become so key to their fortunes in the top flight, especially after big money was spent on some attacking signings in the summer, but he is now emerging as the driving force behind their quest to survive relegation.
Opta's latest relegation prediction is tough reading for Coventry fans
Coventry fans will be dreaming of survival after an upturn in performance levels, as they now sit 17th in the top flight with six points from seven games.
Thomas-Asante could be the key to them staying up, but Opta's supercomputer is still predicting them to head straight back to the second tier.
They are 36.27 per cent likely to be relegated as it stands, alongside Fulham and Sunderland, with Nottingham Forest hovering just above the relegation zone with a 29.17 per cent chance.