Coventry City are reportedly preparing a January deal to sign a Premier League midfielder, who is in desperate need of a move after playing just two minutes of top-flight action so far this season.
“Frustrated” Coventry must bounce back against Bristol City
Coventry were top of the Championship two weeks ago. Today, however, their lead at the top has been reduced to just five points and another slip-up could see Middlesbrough apply greater pressure than ever this season.
Manager Frank Lampard admitted his frustration after failing to bounce back from a 3-0 scoreline at the hands of Ipswich Town and a 1-1 draw with Preston North End, thanks to Daniel Jebbison’s late equalizer.
“We’re obviously frustrated not to win the game because over the course of the game we should be winning it. 11 versus 11 we should be in front and 11 versus 10 we’re playing in their half and trying to keep creating.
“We had opportunity after opportunity on a difficult pitch. The guys did pretty much everything they could apart from scoring those extra goals. Disappointment is the goal [we conceded].
We knew that only a mistake on our part, a counter-attack or a free kick was their way of scoring. But I’m not going to criticize the players because they pushed and pushed. Credit to Preston for staying in the game.”
The last thing Lampard needs is a reminder of his past failure in the quest for promotion to the Championship and Coventry would be wise to act in January to avoid an all-too-familiar repeat.
On that front, the Sky Blues could look to the Premier League to get them over the finishing line and, more specifically, to Sunderland’s Dan Neil. The midfielder has struggled for minutes on Wearside this season but has caught the attention of Championship players.
Coventry prepare for Dan Neil move
Coventry are currently preparing a January deal to sign Neil, according to TeamTalk, and there is no doubt the Sunderland man needs a move away from Wearside next month.
The midfielder went from winning the playoffs at Wembley as Sunderland captain to just two minutes in the Premier League following the arrival of Granit Xhaka.
With just over six months remaining on his current deal, the Black Cats are reportedly ready to cash in, providing Coventry with the perfect opportunity to welcome back last season’s promotion hero.
Although Neil has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, it is hard to doubt his ability to make his mark in the Championship following Sunderland’s promotion.
It was in the second division that the 23-year-old received the most praise from Régis Le Bris, with the Sunderland boss telling journalists last January: “The individual result may not be as big as expected, but it is still very important for the team. You can feel how strong he is as an individual player. At the same time, the role he plays for the balance of the team is very important.
Neil has played a pivotal role in the Black Cats’ promotion and could get the chance to help Coventry cross the finishing line in January.
