'We'll be stronger again...' - Frank Lampard and Coventry could be set for 'special' boost for West Brom clash
Championship leaders Coventry City have been an irresistible force so far this season - and could be set for a key boost ahead of facing Albion.
The Sky Blues' remarkable run of eight wins in nine games has seen them take the second tier by storm and open up a five-point gap to nearest challengers Middlesbrough.
Moreover, Coventry's near-perfect run of results dating back to late September coincided exactly with the loss to injury of an influential player - Jack Rudoni.
The attack-minded midfielder Rudoni has been a scourge of Albion before having netted a last-gasp Huddersfield winner at The Hawthorns two seasons ago and the opener in Coventry's victory over the Baggies on Good Friday last season, which all-but ended play-off aspirations for Tony Mowbray's visitors.
Rudoni suffered a calf strain in his last appearance, a goalless draw at Leicester in September, and was absent from the following big home victory over Birmingham onwards.
The midfielder has had to kick his heels on the sidelines as Coventry, spearheaded by top scoring former Baggie Brandon Thomas-Asante and forward colleague Haji Wright, have fired the Sky Blues into a commanding lead at the summit.
Lampard's side only dropped points in one of the nine clashes Rudoni missed - the 3-2 defeat at Wrexham three games ago for a first and single league defeat of the season. Coventry responded to that in style before the international break with victories over Sheffield United and high-flying Stoke.
Rudoni, 24, has been back on the grass with colleagues and is set to join in full training ahead of the clash against Ryan Mason's Albion.
Lampard said: "It’s credit to the team what they have done. But that also doesn’t take away anything that Jack Rudoni gives this team because he is a special player. We'll be stronger again with Jack Rudoni."
Should the midfield talent be judged not ready to return from the off by Lampard, then the likelihood is the Sky Blues boss will opt for an unchanged line-up against the Baggies.
That is should the international trio of Thomas-Asante, with Ghana, Wright of the USA and Wales' Jay Dasilva return unscathed from duties with their nations.
Striker Thomas-Asante scored 21 goals in 78 appearances for Albion having joined from League Two Salford City for £250,000 in 2022 and was sold to the Sky Blues for a fee of more than £2million in the summer of 2024.
He has 10 goals in 17 outings for City this season including eight in his last nine games.
