Coventry City manager Frank Lampard insists his side need to remain calm ahead of the final seven games as they look to secure promotion to the Premier League.
The Sky Blues sit nine points clear at the top of the Championship but the job is not complete yet with 21 points left to play for.
Second place Middlesborough host in-form Millwall and if the Lions can get all three points at the Riverside, they will leapfrog Boro and move into second.
Frank Lampard’s side are at home to former club Derby County in an 8pm kickoff which could see them pull away further from the chasing pack.
In an interview with SkySports, Lampard said: “I try and stay calm and block it out as much as possible.
“It’s great that the fans are excited because they deserve that, especially considering what they’ve been through over the years, seeing the club drop down and work its way back up.
“But our job is to keep our focus fully on what’s in front of us. At this stage, expectations naturally rise and people start to suggest it’s already done, but it’s not.“
Coventry led the league table by ten points after 18 games but a difficult festive period saw them eventually slip down to second.
When Frank Lampard took over in November 2024, the Sky Blues sat 17th following the sacking of Mark Robins but guided them to a 5th place finish and an unfortunate playoff defeat meant they had to go again this season in the second tier.
He said: “This group has come a long way in a relatively short period. When I arrived, we were towards the bottom of the league, but through hard work and togetherness we’ve improved steadily.
“We came close at one point last season, and the progression this year has been clear. The players now have more confidence in each other and in what we’re trying to do.
“We’ve demonstrated throughout the season that we can win matches in different ways, and it’s important that we maintain that approach in the games ahead.”
