Coventry 0-2 Leeds: Frank Lampard is dealt first home defeat as Sky Blues boss - as visitors go five points clear in the Championship table

This was meant to be a tough ask for Leeds United. A trip to the in-form side of the Championship in Coventry City and a ground that Frank Lampard was turning into something of a fortress. The Coventry boss was aiming to become the first Sky Blues manager to go unbeaten in his first seven home games since Jimmy Hill in 1961-62. Instead, his side capitulated when the league leaders came to town with Daniel Farke’s men ruthlessly putting this game to bed in the opening half an hour.

Leeds had Coventry’s hospitality to thank with mistakes leading to the two goals from Joel Piroe and Jayden Bogle. That it only finished two-nil was due to Leeds's wastefulness after. Like Saturday, it could have been seven. Leeds secured a 2-0 win over Coventry in their Championship clash on Wednesday evening. Frank Lampard suffered his first home defeat as Coventry boss upon Leeds' visit. Nevertheless, victory saw them go five points clear at the top and with 15 games to go, Leeds are starting to have breathing space at the summit.

They are unbeaten since November and undoubtedly the most complete side in the division. Whereas all the other promotion contenders strengthened in the January window, Leeds didn’t with Farke insisting that he trusted his group. The dominance of this performance backed up that statement. It was here last April where their late season collapse which cost them automatic promotion, started. This time around, Leeds are looking formidable.

Fresh off the back of their biggest league win in over half a century, Farke made just the one change for Leeds with Ilia Gruev coming in for Joe Rothwell. For Coventry, Lampard named an unchanged side from their win at Swansea. A victory that made it four wins on the trot and saw them move to within three points off the play-offs. In just over two months since replacing Mark Robins, Lampard has taken them from relegation contenders to promotion hopefuls but from the outset, this was a timely reminder of the quality at the top of the division.

Leeds dominated possession against a passive Coventry outfit, with 86 percent of the ball in the opening ten minutes and in the 17th minute, they broke the deadlock. Leeds' stars wheeled away in celebration after doubling their tally in Coventry. Joel Piroe (pictured) broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with a well-taken finish. Ellis Simms carelessly gave the ball away in his own half and Manor Solomon teed up Piroe, who finished wonderfully past Coventry keeper Oliver Dovin for his 13th goal of the season.

Earlier this week, Leeds rebuffed a £10M offer for Piroe from Real Betis with Farke a fond admirer of the Dutchman, who is just two goals behind Championship top scorer Borja Sainz. From the packed out away end, the chants of ‘No Piroe, no party’ began. Ten minutes later, another Coventry mistake saw Leeds double their advantage. Bogle ran through the Coventry defence from around the halfway line and just when it looked like his touch was too heavy, Dovin spilled the ball in the box and Bogle slotted into an empty net.

Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto (left) was a late introduction into the Championship clash. Before last night, Farke had never beaten Lampard in four games but his side should have been four up by the break. First, Daniel James wasted a glorious opportunity when he was through on goal before Piroe blazed over after he was played in by Solomon. Lampard rolled the dice, sending on Tatsuhiro Sakamoto at half-time and new signing Matt Grimes just after the hour mark.

But bar a good stop by Illan Meslier to deny Simms’s header, they failed to get back in the game as Leeds held on comfortably for a sixth consecutive clean sheet. COVENTRY (3-5-2): Doyin 4; Latibeaudiere 5, Thomas 5, Kitching 5; van Ewijk 5.5, Torp 5.5 (Eccles 78), Allen 5 (Grimes 62, 5.5), Rudoni 5.5 (Raphael 84), Bidwell 5 (Dasilva 78); Thomas-Asante 5 (Sakamoto 46, 6), Simms 5. Subs unused: Collins, Binks, Burroughs, Bassette.