The Miami Dolphins have released wide receiver Tyreek Hill with immediate effect.
The 31-year-old has been selected for the Pro Bowl in eight of his first 10 seasons in the NFL but is currently recovering from a serious knee injury.
The Dolphins cited “failed physical” as the reason for Hill’s departure as they also released offensive lineman James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on Monday.
Know as ‘the Cheetah’, Hill has been one of the quickest players in the NFL since being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, helping them win the Super Bowl in 2020.
Advertisement
The Chiefs traded him to Miami in 2022 to make room under their salary cap and since then he has ranked sixth for most receiving yards in he NFL.
The Dolphins went on to finish the season with their second straight losing record under head coach Mike McDaniel, who has since been replaced by Jeff Hafley.
He has set about rebuilding the Dolphins roster, with Tua Tagovailoa also linked with a move from Miami having failed to establish himself as their franchise quarterback.
It’s safe to assume that the LA Lakers fanbase, or at least some parts of it, hasn’t fully embraced LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony called out the Lakers fans who continue to disrespect James, who has played eight seasons for the purple and gold franchise.
On the latest episode of the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast, Anthony and guest DeMarcus Cousins discussed plenty of topics around the NBA, including James’ future. The Hall of Famer described what “The King” is experiencing in what could be his final year with the Lakers.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
“He’s living long enough to be a villain,” Anthony said. “You get what I’m saying? That’s what he’s doing. He’s doing everything at the top, still holding this league down. This league don’t move without ‘Bron. I don’t give a f**k what nobody say. That’s a fact.”
Advertisement
•
Carmelo Anthony then called out the Lakers fanbase for not fully accepting LeBron James despite bringing a championship in 2020. Anthony added that Lakers fans have no right to be angry at James if he signs with the Cleveland Cavaliers next season.
“If you going to be mad at him leaving LA, f**k is you mad about?” Anthony said. “You see it written on the wall, right? Because of the influence that’s out there. Y’all pushing him out in a sense. Y’all never accepted him in LA anyway from the beginning.”
Advertisement
The LA Lakers are reportedly ready to move on from LeBron James after the season. Luka Doncic signed his extension, and the franchise is one of the teams getting ready to create cap space for the summer of 2027, when some of the best players could become free agents.
LeBron James comments on the possibility of retiring
Speaking to reporters before the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, LeBron James addressed the speculation about his future. James remains undecided if this will be his final season or if he moves forward this summer and joins a new team in free agency.
“When I know, you guys will know,” James said. “I don’t know. I have no idea.”
At 41 years old, James is still among the best players in the NBA. There are signs of slowing down, but it’s mainly due to dealing with sciatica at the start of the season.
Nevertheless, it’s going to be an interesting second half of the season for the LA Lakers. They did fix the shooting problem by adding Luke Kennard, but the defense and staying healthy are persistent issues.
Jamaica’s Mica Moore, from Newport in south Wales, finished four places ahead of Nicoll in 14th and was delighted with the outcome following her switch in 2022 from representing GB after claiming she had witnessed “damaging and offensive behaviour”.
Moore told BBC Sport: “I’m so happy. It has been a real tough journey to get here, it hasn’t been easy at all. I guess to me it is just a story of not giving up.
“I had a really difficult time with Great Britain and that is not secret at all and I’m just so proud I didn’t give up on myself and I’m so grateful for my family and friends for digging myself out of the trenches when it was really tough and just keep going. Moments like this make it really worth it.”
Moore began her sporting career as an athlete – representing Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – before switching to bobsleigh.
Advertisement
Her grandfather, Venson Byfield, came to the UK in the Windrush generation and settled in Wales.
“It is a really proud moment,” she added.
“I’ve spoken a lot about my grandfather and how we came over with the Windrush generation and I never got the pleasure of meeting him, but my mum has told me so many stories about him and I just had that in my heart the whole time. I just wanted to make my family proud.
“They’ve supported me for so long. I’m 33 now so I’m quite old and they’ve never wavered in their support.
Advertisement
“I’ve just had the most lovely career because of them.”
James Trafford is right to be unhappy and frustrated, but has to do something about his Manchester City nightmare the first chance he gets.
Walking out on Pep Guardiola is a big gamble. But when it comes to the curious case of James Trafford, he doesn’t have much of a choice.
Trafford has revealed he had no idea Manchester City were planning to sign another goalkeeper when he agreed to make a return to the Etihad from Burnley last summer. But he should have done. Or at least those people at CAA Stellar, who look after him, should. Trafford could have gone to Newcastle United.
But City had first option on re-signing Trafford and took advantage of their situation to take him back. Just over a month after returning to the Etihad, Guardiola went and spent £26million on luring Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain.
And Trafford’s fate was sealed. The end result is a professional nightmare for Trafford. He is second fiddle to a great ‘keeper, restricted to run-outs in cup games and nothing more.
When it comes to the Premier League and Champions League, Trafford will be stuck on the bench unless Donnarumma gets injured.
Advertisement
Buy Carabao Cup Final VIP tickets
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
And this will cost Trafford a realistic chance of going to the World Cup with England this summer. World Cups don’t come around too often in a player’s career.
Advertisement
Trafford still has time on his side because he’s still only 23. But if he wants to become the long-term successor to Jordan Pickford, and he’s good enough to do so, he has to leave City come the end of the season.
Trafford is too talented to be a part-time goalkeeper. He’s proved this on the rare occasions he’s been given matches by Guardiola this season.
“I’ve obviously got a contract, but I don’t know what happens next season,” said Trafford, “I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try and improve.”
He does know. He knows unless Donnarumma leaves the Etihad, which isn’t going to happen, his situation will remain the same.
Advertisement
Nothing will change. Trafford has to be selfish and do what is best for himself. And if that means turning your back on arguably the greatest manager of all time, then so be it.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Hamburger SV center-back Luka Vušković might not be too inclined to go back to Tottenham Hotspur and his parent club might be sweating it a bit.
Advertisement
With at least a little uncertainty about the young Croatian, Spurs could be keeping an eye on Bayern Munich center-back Kim Min-jae:
Tottenham Hotspur have an absolute gem on their hands in Luka Vuskovic, who is so good he could join Bayern Munich this summer without playing a competitive match for the Premier League side. There is genuine interest from Bayern Munich, who are always looking to sign the best players from their domestic rivals, and Tottenham supporters fear they will lose their Croatian gem
With Vuskovic, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero all linked with moves away from Spurs, they are weighing up their options for the summer transfer window.
Advertisement
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has been linked, but another player on Spurs’ radar is Bayern’s Kim Min-jae, whose departure could pave the way for Vuskovic to join the German champions.
Chelsea could make a move for Min-jae after missing out on new Liverpool signing Jeremy Jacquet, though the 29-year-old is older than their usual transfer targets.
Min-jae is not a regular starter under Vincent Kompany and would be a wise sale for Bayern and a smart signing for Spurs.
As of now, the latest news indicates that Kim is content to stay at Bayern Munich even in an lesser role. However, if Tottenham can match or beat his current salary, the South Korean could reconsider that stance…maybe.
Advertisement
Last week, some very loose reports broke regarding Bayern Munich still having interest in Newcastle United attacker Nick Woltemade after missing on the big German last summer. However, Sport Bild’s Christian Falk says that a move in the future is not out of the question, but this summer would be too early:
That said, he had a very good start to life at Newcastle, so things can change quickly if he’s getting the play time and scoring. At the moment, however, a deal isn’t guaranteed. But the door could open this summer, and Woltemade, if things don’t change, could be open for a transfer. I’m not sure if Bayern Munich will be at the table this time, but it’s always a question of price.
✅ It is TRUE: Bayern retain their admiration of Nick Woltemade. Just like any club, when you have a clear admiration for a player, it’s normal to wonder about the future. That’s the point with Woltemade and Bayern Munich. Both sides know that perhaps they’ll meet again in the future. This summer is too early. Bayern Munich won’t pay the transfer fee. I heard Newcastle, perhaps, would lower their price tag. Indeed, they’re not so happy at the moment; Woltemade isn’t playing a great deal. The manager, Eddie Howe, isn’t giving him many chances to play at the moment.
Harry Kane’s next contract could determine exactly when Bayern Munich formally renews interest in Woltemade.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Hoffenheim’s Grischa Promel has had a very good season and is firmly on the radar of VfB Stuttgart:
🚨EXCL | VfB Stuttgart have submitted a concrete, lucrative offer to Grischa Prömel as they want to bring him in on a free transfer in the summer.
Hoffenheim, meanwhile, are keen to extend his contract long term. #VfB see him as a top leader but will not improve their offer beyond their set financial limits. Leverkusen, Frankfurt and Wolfsburg are also interested.
Prömel is keeping his options open, with a final decision expected in March. @SkySportDE
Kicker named Leon Goretzka and Harry Kane to its Bundesliga Team of the Week:
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Kane and Luis Díaz are on WhoScored.com’s Team of the Season (so far):
AC Milan is not against the idea of selling Christian Pulisic, but it will take €70 to €80 million to get a deal done:
AC Milan is preparing for a major squad overhaul at the end of the season, and one of the biggest talking points is the possible departure of Christian Pulisic.
The club is open to listening to offers in the €70–80 million range for the 27‑year‑old American winger, a figure that could provide Milan with both financial flexibility and balance as they reshape the team.
Liverpool attacker Florian Wirtz famously (or infamously) chose to move to Merseyside over Bayern Munich last summer and got off to a pretty bad start in England. Wirtz now has six goals and eight assists in 35 games across all competitions.
Advertisement
Advertisement
In addition, Wirtz has created more chances in the Premier League this season than any other summer signing. While that might blow your socks off…it is something (we guess):
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
Eileen Gu, the controversial big air skiing star who competes for China despite being American-born, was unable to defend her gold medal on Monday night at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
Gu came away with the silver medal in the women’s freeski big air competition, while Canada’s Megan Oldham won gold.
Gu notched a 90.00 on her first run, which was tied on the list of competitors for third place, as Oldham and Austria’s Lara Wolf had better scores.
Gold medalist Megan Oldham of Team Canada, Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China and Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Team Italy pose for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Freeski Big Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
But Gu’s mistake was on the second run, where she wasn’t able to grab the tail of her ski cleanly and her landing was shaky, leading to a 61.25 score.
At that point, Gu was out of a medal spot with one run remaining. In this competition, the top two scores are combined for each skier.
On the final run, Gu managed to score an 89.00, which gave her a 179.00 final tally. That was enough for second place, but Oldham had a slight, 1.75-point advantage over Gu in the end.
Italy’s Flora Tabanelli finished with bronze in the event.
Gu wasn’t upset at the result, though, pointing out that she’s won five Olympic medals in her two appearances at the Games. Her first was in Beijing in 2022, where she took home gold in big air and halfpipe, while winning silver in Slopestyle.
In this year’s Games, Gu secured a silver medal in Slopestyle, with halfpipe the remaining event for her later this week.
Advertisement
“‘Five-time Olympic medalist’ kind of has a nice ring to it,” Gu told reporters after the event.
Before this medal event, Gu called out the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) over how tight the Olympic schedule has been for her, saying it prevents her from getting proper training sessions she needs for a freeski event.
Gold medalist Megan Oldham of Team Canada, Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China and Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Team Italy pose for a victory selfie during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Freeski Big Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Gu is the sport’s only three-event athlete, and she says competing on Monday night makes it impossible for her to properly prepare for the qualifying round of the halfpipe final, which begins on Thursday.
“I’m disappointed in FIS,” she said. “I think the Olympics should epitomize aspiration, and I think being able to do something that’s beyond the ordinary should be celebrated instead of punished.
Advertisement
“I think it’s really unfair. I think it’s punishing excellence, to be completely honest with you. Because I dare to do three events, and this is making it completely impossible to train fairly for the third event.”
Gu became a controversial figure in action sports in 2019 when she made the decision to ski for China instead of the United States in the upcoming 2022 Olympics. She grew up in California and went to Stanford, though her mother is a first-generation Chinese immigrant in the U.S.
Gu said at the time that it was an “incredibly tough” decision, and Americans weren’t too fond of her decision given the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China.
Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China looks on during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Freeski Big Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.(Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Gu was celebrated in China for her choice, but a giant question still looms as she continues to be one of the best in the sport.
With China not allowing dual citizenship for its athletes, requiring Chinese nationality for those competing, has Gu renounced her American citizenship? She has not answered the question.
As Gu looks ahead to the halfpipe qualifiers on Thursday, the final for the event is this Saturday.
Naoya Inoue is arguably boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, but the United States has a contender on the up in Jesse Rodriguez, who could potentially collide with Inoue down the line. Now, two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter has offered his thoughts on that potential super fight.
Inoue is one of three fighters to have reigned as an undisputed champion in multiple weight divisions during the four-belt era, maintaining a 32-fight undefeated record whilst dominating at both bantamweight and super-bantamweight.
In May, the four-division conqueror is anticipated to take on his toughest test to date, linked to a historic Japanese showdown with fellow pound-for-pound star, Junto Nakatani, in a difficult defence of the undisputed crown at 122lbs.
Advertisement
There is suddenly another potential threat to ‘The Monster’, with ‘Bam’ Rodriguez seeking to become the first undisputed champion in the history of the super-flyweight division before potentially accelerating through the divisions in a similar fashion.
Currently, Rodriguez holds three of the four belts at 115lbs, whilst Mexico’s Willibaldo Garcia Perez is in possession of the remaining IBF super-flyweight strap that ‘Bam’ will target before a move to bantamweight, which will move him closer to the Japanese phenomenon.
Speaking on The PorterWay Podcast, Shawn Porter admitted that he favours Inoue against his fellow American, believing both the age and size gap to be too wide for the 26-year-old Rodriguez to hand 32-year-old Inoue a first career defeat.
“I am inclined to favour Inoue in this fight, event though I haven’t seen as much of Inoue as I have seen from Bam, but the reason why I favour him is because of the age gap and the size gap.
“That [gap] is big for the little guys and Inoue is a monster. I think that Inoue would be the favourite in the betting odds and it’s a hell of a fight but I feel like there is a gap there. There is a gap there that I don’t like [for Rodriguez].”
Advertisement
Many in the sport have agreed, although others are keen to see the fight happen. Trainer Robert Garcia has responded positively, saying that his charge Rodriguez will be ready for the fight in the future.
Hardik Pandya, right, celebrates with teammate Ishan Kishan the wicket of Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan. (AP Photo)
COLOMBO: All those who don’t mind a sense of competition in an India-Pakistan game were left scratching their heads by late Sunday at the Premadasa.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Pakistan have been in Sri Lanka since the start of this World Cup, and have the spinners to make use of the slow pitch conditions here. There is an X-factor bowler in Usman Tariq, who may not be Varun Chakravarthy but has taken wickets in 24 consecutive T20 games and bowls at an economy rate of 5.93 in T20Is.
Mike Hesson press conference: ‘Ishan took the game away from us’ after India beat Pakistan
Still, when it came to the high-pressure India game, it was a meek surrender. It seemed that the Pakistan team had learnt nothing from their hat-trick of Asia Cup defeats and went down even before the game could take the shape of a contest.Before going into any analysis, let’s accept one thing. India are a superior side than Pakistan and for the neighbours to turn the tables, it will need an upset. But the passionate Pakistan fans are well within their rights to demand that upset once in a blue moon. Like the Indian teams from the mid-80s to the early 2000s — they won the World Cup games, the Independence Cup in Bangladesh and one Sahara Cup in Toronto even as Pakistan dominated the subcontinental rivalry.
Poll
What was the main reason for Pakistan’s loss against India?
Advertisement
On Sunday, for Pakistan it was a case of being timid to start with. The pitch gets slower and it would have been much easier for Pakistan to set a target and pressurize India with their spinners.But they got it wrong by choosing to field first and bringing all the pressure on their batting line-up, which is average at best. They should have understood that if it took them a humongous struggle to chase 147 against the Netherlands, they are not good enough to cross the line chasing against India, a side that would not give you a sub-160 target even on their worst batting day.“I was surprised to see Pakistan choose to field after winning the toss. That’s where they lost half the game,” spin legend R Ashwin said on his youtube show. Pakistan coach Mike Hesson, though, defended his skipper Salman Agha’s decision and felt it was Ishan Kishan’s brilliance that took the game away from them. “The pitch didn’t slow down and it spun less in the second innings. So you have to look at the facts rather than be emotional. It was the quality of the bowling in the first six overs and the way Ishan played that took the game away from us,” Hesson said.Also, hurting Pakistan cricket is the poor form of paceman Shaheen Afridi. He has been below-par with each successive game, but there’s some reason better known to the team management that he can’t be dropped. On Sunday, he bowled two crucial overs and gave away 31 which, in a low-scoring game, was huge. For India, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, the two pacers, bowled five overs conceding 33 and took four wickets. “Afridi cannot bowl the hard length consistently on a pitch like this. And if he was bowling to Ishan, he should have tried something different,” Ashwin said.The third aspect, is of course the Pakistan batting approach. It’s true that 175 on a slow pitch was akin to a 225 on any Indian track. Still keeping wickets towards the end would have given Pakistan a fighting chance at the back end.Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, on his show said that he finds it hard to fathom the approach of the Pakistani team. “They learnt nothing from their Asia Cup losses. They keep trying the slam bang approach, which cannot work for them against a team as skilled as this India. But no player is ready to take the game deep,” Rameez pointed out.But for the negatives, Pakistan can still qualify for the Super-8s with a win against Namibia on Wednesday. They will continue to play in Colombo if they go that far and the fans will hope against hope that the opposition teams will not be as lethal as India.
It appears 2026 might be the year of the goalie fight.
With two already in the books in the NHL, some young netminders got in on the fun on Monday.
Late in the third period of a WHL game, Ethan McCallum of the Penticton Vees and Joshua Ravensbergen of the Prince George Cougars traded blows at centre ice.
The fight didn’t last long, with Ravensbergen falling on top of McCallum after a couple of punches each.
Advertisement
Both goaltenders even gave each other a little pat on the back before heading their separate ways.
McCallum, 19, won the battle on the scoreboard, as he backstopped the Vees to a 3-0 shutout victory.
Ravensbergen, 19, was selected by the San Jose Sharks with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft. He was also a member of the Canadian team that won bronze at the 2026 world juniors.
The two may have got some inspiration from watching the big boys over the past month, as Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky fought San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic on Jan. 19, while Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy squared off outdoors in the Stadium Series on Feb. 1.
Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) lays the ball up over Clemson Tigers forward Jake Whalin (10) during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
Freshman Cameron Boozer scored 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting as No. 3 Duke manhandled Syracuse in a 101-64 victory on Monday in Durham, N.C.
Isaiah Evans hit three 3-point shots on the way to 21 points and Patrick Ngonbga II posted 12 points for the Blue Devils (24-2, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Boozer finished with 12 rebounds for his 14th double-double.
Duke, which has won three in a row since a last-second loss at North Carolina, shot 62.3% from the field. The Blue Devils made 13 of their first 14 shots in the second half as the margin topped 30 points.
William Kyle III’s 12 points and Nate Kingz’s 10 were tops for Syracuse (15-12, 6-8), which is in desperate need of a signature victory. The Orange had won two in a row for the first time since in a month but couldn’t follow up their thrilling comeback against visiting SMU on Saturday.
The Orange appeared in danger finishing below their season-low point total (59) until hitting a couple of scoring stretches in the last 12 minutes.
Advertisement
Duke made three of its eight attempts from 3-point range before halftime, but the Blue Devils were mostly content to push the ball into the lane.
Boozer had a first-half double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Evans had 11 points, with the Blue Devils ending the half on an 11-0 run for a 40-24 lead. Duke shot 51.7 in the opening 20 minutes.
An 8-2 run to begin the second half put Duke firmly in control. Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman picked up his fourth foul with more than 14 minutes to play with the Orange trailing 58-37, and two minutes later his backup, Ibrahim Souare, had four fouls.
Advertisement
Duke opened a 16-9 lead while the Orange went more than four minutes without a point. An Evans 3-pointer and a Dame Sarr breakaway dunk stretched the margin to 23-12.
With NBA rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, both Duke players last season, looking on, the Blue Devils played their final game before a neutral-site showdown with top-ranked Michigan on Saturday night in Washington.
Frank Lampard barely smiled at the final whistle before embracing Middlesbrough’s beaten manager, Kim Hellberg. Lampard gave his customary three-pump celebration to the far corner of the South Stand, walked a quick victory lap of the pitch with his players and then set off down the tunnel with his hands in his pockets.
This was not a night for big celebrations, at least not on the pitch. In the stands, Coventry fans serenaded their manager with refrains of “Super Frank” as they revelled in this 3-1 victory over their closest title rivals, their faith restored after a desperate run of two wins in eight games. Yet Lampard knows this was just one small step back on course.
“There are so many points to fight for,” he said after Coventry retook top spot from Middlesbrough. “We’ve got ourselves in this position, it’s game on. There is so much to play for and we absolutely can’t get carried away.”
Only last Monday, Coventry fans had booed their team after a frustrating 0-0 draw with struggling Oxford United which opened the door for Middlesbrough to usurp them at the top. Supporters grumbled and groaned as Haji Wright missed a platter of headed chances. But a week is a long time in football, and here the giant American’s name reverberated around the ground after a hat-trick that may have altered the course of the campaign.
Now there is belief in the CBS Arena once more after those weeks of worrying downturn to which Lampard didn’t seem to have answers. He had chopped and changed his side, even dropping both centre-backs last week in an effort to reenergise his team. The slick and ruthless Coventry that took charge of the league in the autumn had given way to a slow and turgid team over the winter, lacking their previous edge.
Advertisement
Coventry’s Haji Wright, left, celebrates scoring their side’s third goal from the penalty spot (PA)
He will hope this win sparks new momentum. Coventry had to ride out plenty of pressure from Hellberg’s free-flowing Boro, who swap positions and make fast connections in tight spaces around the box and generally try to put on a show with the ball. They dominated possession with more than 70 per cent, as they have done in most games since Hellberg took charge, but Riley McGree’s well-taken second-half goal was all they had to show for their attacking endeavour.
Perhaps this was a case of an opponent sniffing out how Hellberg likes his team to play. The familiar diagonal passing lanes from full-backs into attack were choked off, like blocked bishops on a chessboard. Boro had most success down the flanks where Tommy Conway frequently peeled into space, but his final pass missed its target and Boro wasted their best opportunities to hurt their hosts.
Hellberg was always going to keep the same line-up which dismantled Sheffield United so impressively away from home last week, so the ball was in Lampard’s court: would he throw out the 4-2-3-1 system that had got Coventry to this position but faltered for so long, or would he try something new? Lampard held his nerve, sticking with the same shape, though he made changes by bringing in winger Ephron Mason-Clark and handing Nigeria international Frank Onyeka his debut from the start, having joined on loan from Brentford in January.
Advertisement
Hellberg promised Boro were never going to play any other way than their attacking, free-flowing approach that had propelled them to the top of the table, and his players were true to his word. They set up in a notional 4-1-3-2, with Morgan Whittaker and the relentless Conway as split strikers. But Boro’s efforts to liberally pop the ball about in midfield were met with fierce resistance, particularly in the shape of Onyeka, who crashed into tackles and carried his new team forwards when he won them, drawing a booking and earning one too in his running battle with Boro playmaker Aidan Morris.
Haji Wright smashes home Coventry’s second goal (Getty Images)
Coventry took a deserved lead when they broke down the right with winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, who pirouetted away from two defenders before finding Jack Rudoni in the box. Rudoni slipped a low pass into the centre where Wright stabbed a low, first-time finish through the legs of goalkeeper Sol Brynn.
Boro started the second half well and were probing for an equaliser when a long kick by Coventry keeper Carl Rushworth set Wright bearing down on goal, and the striker bullied Luke Ayling off the ball before smashing a first-time finish past Brynn for his second goal. McGree fired Boro back into the game after waves of pressure finally told, but Matt Targett’s brainless handball 17 seconds after the restart gave Coventry a penalty, and Wright powered home his third to set off a deafening noise inside the stadium.
Advertisement
“They were awful goals to concede,” said Hellberg. “They were better than us in the first half. Second half we were brilliant, take away the two situations where they scored. We created lots of opportunities. They score both of them for not doing too much. I know if our performances are good enough we will be in a good position in the table at the end of the season.”
And so Coventry are back on top, one point above Middlesbrough and eight points clear of Ipswich, who have two games in hand and look the most likely of the chasing pack to catch the top two. Lampard isn’t celebrating yet. But Coventry have stopped the rot, and their fans believe again. And perhaps that is as big as any victory: win their home games and it may be enough to reach the Premier League after 25 years away.
