Awoniyi’s red not to blame for Brighton defeat – Lampard

Coventry City coach Frank Lampard has refused to blame Taiwo Awoniyi’s red card for his side’s 5-0 defeat to Brighton on Sunday, saying the Sky Blues’ failure to take their chances was a bigger factor in their latest Premier League loss, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Coventry became only the second team in Premier League history to lose their opening four matches without scoring, after Crystal Palace in 2017/18, while it is the first time in the club’s history they have failed to register a goal or point from their first four league matches.

Only in 1919/20, their first season in the Football League, had Coventry previously lost each of their opening four league matches.

Brighton took control after the break, scoring twice before Coventry were reduced to 10 men following Taiwo Awoniyi’s dismissal for violent conduct. The visitors added three more goals late on to complete a 5-0 victory.

Eight minutes into the second half, Awoniyi was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after catching Brighton defender Maxim De Cuyper in the face while challenging for an aerial ball.

Referee Tony Harrington immediately produced the red card, with replays showing Awoniyi making clear contact with his arm. VAR subsequently checked and upheld the decision.

The Premier League Match Centre later revealed the conversation between the officials, with Harrington’s assistant saying: “He has caught him in his face with his elbow.”

However, Lampard insisted Awoniyi’s dismissal was not solely responsible for the defeat, pointing instead to his side’s failure to capitalise on their opportunities.

“Well, at 2-0 down, I don’t think I can quite say that. I think it’s the moments throughout the game of us having chances, as we did last week at City, not taking them, to feeling what would feel like for us to get ourselves in front, as I felt like we deserved to be.

“Then, obviously, the red card’s a huge point in it,” Lampard said during his post-match interview with the club.

Awoniyi now faces a three-match suspension, the standard punishment for violent conduct. He is set to miss Coventry’s trip to his former club Nottingham Forest next Saturday, Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa and the Premier League meeting with Newcastle after the international break.

Awoniyi’s teammate, Ephron Mason-Clark, also sympathised with the striker, describing him as “one of the nicest people” he has met.

“He’s a top professional, and I think he’s been affected more than anybody. He’s one of the nicest people that I’ve ever met. I haven’t looked at it back, but he’s more than disappointed in himself.

“It’s just the reality of the game. There are so many eyes on you, and a lapse of concentration, and it’s just unfortunate that it happened the way it happened and the result of the sending-off.”

The win lifted Brighton to fourth in the table, while Coventry remain rooted to the bottom.