Frank Lampard guided Coventry City to victory against Newcastle.
FRANK Lampard praised Coventry City’s ‘youthful exuberance’ after two teenagers found the net in a convincing 4-1 win against Newcastle United.
Both Sidiki Cherif and Stephen Mfuni scored their first Coventry and Premier League goals while Jack Rudoni and Ellis Simms also found the net for the Sky Blues.
The victory marked Coventry’s first-ever win at the Coventry Building Society Arena in the Premier League and first at home since the club’s return to the top flight.
And Lampard hopes his players will continue to show belief in the final third after finding the net four times against the Magpies.
Lampard said: “I’m delighted with the result, our energy in the early stages of the game was great and we got our goal.
“When we had to suffer and do the defensive work we did it and worked very hard. We were clinical and showed a work ethic throughout the game.
“The players can hopefully take a lot belief from that. There’s a really good feel to the win.
“In certain games you felt ‘have we got that real decisiveness at the top end and are we believing we’re going to score?’
“Sidiki has come in and worked so hard and the youthful exuberance of no fear helps him get his goal. Stephen comes on at 18 and gets his goal.
“That’s great for the players and the more they feel they belong [at this level] and the more they feel confident at that end of the pitch gives us belief.”
The Sky Blues boss also felt his side’s work ethic prevented Newcastle from mounting a comeback.
Lampard added: “I’m a believer in if you have the approach the players had then things will go for you in football.
“You start with the right attitude and get your goal, you come out in the second half after reloading your energy and put pressure on and get another goal.
“There was a feeling in the stadium of ‘oh no 2-1’ it always brings a different mental shift but we kept going and Ellis gets his goal through great little actions of work ethic.
“We have to know you have to have those in the Premier League. It’s a decent start, you always want more.”
The Sky Blues made the perfect start when Toon goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek fouled 19-year-old Cherif in the box as Rudoni coolly sent the former the wrong way from the penalty spot after just six minutes.
And Coventry doubled their lead just three minutes into the second half when Cherif lashed an unstoppable effort into the bottom right corner from 20-yards out.
However, Newcastle responded on 70 minutes as Sven Botman fired a powerful effort into the roof of the net from the edge of the penalty area.
But the home side restored their two-goal lead nine minutes from time when Simms turned a loose ball into the net via the aid of a deflection just moments after coming off the bench.
And 18-year-old defender Mfuni completed the scoring four minutes from time after he burst into the box and curled a shot into the right corner of the goal.
Coventry are next in action against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, October 19 with kick-off at 8pm at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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