Onyeka, Lampard return to EPL as Coventry roar back after 25 years

Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder Frank Onyeka has won promotion back to the English Premier League with Coventry.

The combative Nigerian international was in the thick of action as Coventry earned a 1-1 draw at Blackburn’s Ewood Park on Friday night that earned the team one of two automatic slots for promotion into the EPL.

Onyeka joined Coventry in January when the CBS Arena club was experiencing a poor run of form that threatened the first position it has held since October 2025.

His presence contributed immensely to a return to form it has not relinquished since.

Ryoya Morishita’s 56th minute goal for Blackburn was cancelled by Bobby Thomas’ late strike to send Coventry bag to the zenith of English football leagues for the first time in 25 years, since dropping down to the second tier in 2001.

Frank Lampard’s heroics see the Chelsea legend return to the EPL since his three-month caretaker manager role with Chelsea between April and June 2023. He achieved the latest feat on the back of his team already staying 37 weeks at the top of the league.

Coventry has 86 points from 43 matches, and have the chance to win the Championship title for the second time in the club’s history, and first in 59 years.

They have an 11-point lead over second-placed Ipswich team with two games in hand, and will win their first trophy in six years if they claim the Championship title.

Lampard will be coaching a third team in the EPL if he remains head coach of the Sky Blues at the start of next season.