Lampard returned Coventry City to Premier League action this season after a 25-year absence from the top flight.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard has said his side will learn from their comprehensive defeat to Premier League champions Arsenal following their first top-flight game since 2001.
He made this known on Friday night while speaking to Sky Sports after the Gunners thrashed his newly promoted side 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in the curtain-raiser of the league fixtures.
After an initial spirited performance from the visitors, Arsenal opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Kai Havertz scored from a pass by Riccardo Calafiori.
Mikel Arteta’s men then doubled their advantage eight minutes later through Bukayo Saka, and Martin Ødegaard killed off the contest at the beginning of the second half.
Despite the heavy loss, Coventry’s supporters who made the trip down to London remained in full voice at Emirates Stadium throughout the 90 minutes.
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However, reacting to the result, Lampard told Match of the Day that losing to the defending champions, who also reached last season’s Champions League final, was not going to dampen their spirits.
He said: “A few years ago this club was in League Two, playing in a different stadium.
”When we came in, we were 17th in the [Championship] league. The boys have risen, the team have risen, and the connection with the fans has been amazing – they have been a huge strength for us. They have to remain that way and the lads have to give everything.”
The former Chelsea coach, who succeeded Mark Robins as Sky Blues boss in November 2024, went on to say that even though the encounter didn’t go the way they wanted, it will provide a “learning curve” for his players.
”It’s a good learning curve for our players.
”You come here and want to do something, but it’s very difficult. It’s a good experience to live. We hate defeats, but you can lose here and there is a lot to be done to do what we want to do this season, so we will take the learnings,” Lampard added.
Following the defeat, Coventry will now travel to Home Park to face Plymouth in the second round of the EFL Cup before hosting Hull City in their second Premier League match on Saturday, August 29.
