Middlesbrough v Coventry: Boro aim to rein in Sky Blues as Championship top two meet

It would take even the most casual of football observers little time in pinpointing the reason for Coventry’s ascent to the top of the Championship.

A free-flowing approach and clinical finishing has brought the Sky Blues a staggering 43 goals in just 16 Championship fixtures – 15 more than the next most prolific scorers, Hull City, and remarkably, 23 more than second-placed Boro.

Yet what is perhaps most ominous for rivals hoping for a stumble from the runaway leaders is how the goals are being spread through the squad.

Against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Coventry started without either of their leading scorers in Brandon Thomas-Asante (10 goals) and Haji Wright (eight).

So it will have added even more belief in the building bank of confidence to see their replacements, Josh Eccles and Ellis Simms, pop up with a goal apiece to haul them level from 2-0 down.

“It shows every player that if you aren’t starting because the team’s winning a lot, you’ve got to keep training and keep going and keep pushing, and Josh and Ellis are big examples of that today,” Lampard told BBC Radio WM.

And Victor Torp’s winner – his seventh goal of the season – will convince Lampard his resilient team can win from almost any position.

“What I liked was the players never stopped,” he added. “My feeling, even at 2-0, was that we could definitely get back in this, the way we were moving the ball.”