Coventry City boss Frank Lampard speaking to Sky Sports:
“Good performance from the team, pushed and pushed, dominated possession of the ball and unfortunate to be one behind going into the second leg.
“We controlled a lot of it, it’s hard and I can’t blame the players really in terms of the low block they had.
“They defended their box really well and sometimes you’ve got to say well done to the opposition. Will the game look like this on Tuesday? I’m not sure, so it’s certainly not time for us to get down about it.”
On what he’s said to Milan van Ewijk after his mistake lead to Sunderland’s second goal:
“We don’t have to talk about that now, he’s been brilliant for us.
“If you’ve got eight bodies in the box and you’re crossing it, it’s hard.
“They defended well, distances are small because they are so deep.
“Over the course of the 90 minutes on another day things go for you – the crosses, the knockdowns, the little moments didn’t quite go for us today.
On how his side approach the second leg on Tuesday:
“We go again, simple.
“It will be a tough game for us and obviously it’s still very, very close.”
“It’s a different time and different team and that is a thing of the past.
“I have played many two-legged games, Champions League football, any type of football, so I understand it and this is never over.
“It’s not over, that’s for sure, and Sunderland will know it’s not over.
“So I won’t be drawing on too much from the past.
“We just have to look at what this second game might look like. We don’t know, they may take that approach at home.”
“Another day, things go for you but they didn’t go for us tonight.”
Frank Lampard reflects on Coventry’s loss against Sunderland 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/LySqTygKro
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 9, 2025
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris speaking to Sky Sports:
“The players executed the game plan with discipline, they were a unit and the willingness to play together.
“We expected more or less the game plan of Coventry because they have good players and good control on the ball.
“The first half was a little bit complicated because we struggled to manage our left side and they were really good on that side, they overloaded that part of the pitch and we fixed that problem during half-time.
“The second half was a bit better because we regained different balls and we felt it was possible to recover the ball in the middle with our threats.
“We knew with our two forwards probably we could have less control in the middle but more threats in behind and it was possible to exploit during the second half.
“It’s just half-time. I think we showed today that we were in our plan. We were fresh, we were connected and had all of our players available.
“We knew it’d be tough because Coventry are good and the second leg will be tight.”
“They showed today that they were switched on” 👏
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris reacts to his side’s first-leg win over Coventry in the play-off semi-final 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/o6gMlFyxlz
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 9, 2025
👏 “I’m super proud of the lads.”
🤝 “The boys believed.”Luke O’Nien and Dan Ballard say Sunderland “stuck to their game plan” after securing a strong result against Coventry 🔴 pic.twitter.com/fO40akurRa
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 9, 2025
: FFS! Yet again losing a game to a gifted goal, so frustrating. It’s not over yet but it’s gonna be bloody difficult now. #PUSB
: Anyone else notice Lampard stood in the centre circle for good 3-4 mins just looking, staring at Sunderland players, staff and fans celebrating like they’d already booked their place at Wembley? He knows more than anyone this isn’t over #PUSB @ThatCovPod @dawkinscov1980
: Not over yet let’s not over react guys. Doom and gloom. Playoffs is a 2 legged affair not one. They know what they need to do so it’s just finding a way though them. Back the boys and we may just do it #PUSB
: A lampard side a goal down going into a second leg away from home you say?
: Defeat at the rented stadium.. unlucky guys lmfao 🤣🤣🤣 his long throws are shit, his backpasses not much better 🤣🤣
: Mackems get the result we needed last week. Amazing what a team that isn’t a bunch of spineless wet wipes and a manager with an ounce of tactical prowess can achieve. We made this lot look like Man City. #boro
: Rubbish. Watch and analyse the game properly and stop writing headlines like that which you know makes fans pile on with negativity. Play like that and we’ll be absolutely fine. Created numerous brilliant chances and win comfortably on another day.
: Please please sky blue army. To each and every one going on Tuesday night. Regardless of what happens, represent the other 29,000 of us. The boys need you and so do all us fans that will be cheering from home. #PUSB it’s not over yet!
: Fucking can’t rely on rudoni every game the attack offered absolutely fuck all tonight haji needs to sort his fucking feet out
: Anyone surprised? We are woeful at breaking down teams that put 11 behind the ball
@JoeMorris101003: Anyone that wants to criticised Milan Get the Fuck of this page right now. It’s half time. We go again Tuesday give our all. Back the lads till the end. Remember where we were when Lampard took over! #pusb #wliaditt #COVENTRYCITY
@davidcollinscv4: Milan van Ewijk is the only player in the whole squad who could walk in to a premier league team right now. He’s a made a mistake, every human does. He’s a different level. Ohhhhhhh Milan van Ewijk #PUSB #SkyBlues
