Coventry City moved closer to automatic promotion to the Premier League last weekend.

The Sky Blues won 2-0 away to Bristol City, putting them nine points ahead of third-place Millwall with only 10 games remaining.

Ipswich Town, in fourth place, is only one point behind, but Kieran McKenna’s team has a game in hand, thus the club’s path to the end of the season will be anything but easy.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Haji Wright scored in the first half to secure an essential three points at Ashton Gate, although Joel Laditbeaudiere was sent off in between the two goals, leaving Frank Lampard’s team with ten men.

This was Coventry’s fifth win in a row in the league, dating back to their 3-1 triumph over Middlesbrough on February 16.

However, they had to collect the three points without crucial players Bobby Thomas and Jack Rudoni, who were both injured in their recent win over Stoke City on February 28.

Frank Lampard provides Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas injury updates.

Lampard has stated that Thomas will most likely be unavailable for selection for the next three games while recovering from a calf injury.

The midfielder could return against Swansea City before the international break, but he will almost certainly miss the subsequent games against Preston North End and Southampton, which will be a blow to the squad.

“We don’t have Bobby for probably the next three games, potentially, so we’re getting a bit thin there but the boys coming in have done well,” stated Lampard, according to Coventry Live.

“He injured his calf against Stoke and will most likely miss the international break.

“Hopefully he’ll be back for the game before but, if not, just after.”

Lampard also disclosed that the issue is similar to Rudoni’s, although he is unsure whether it is the same injury that kept him out of 10 games earlier this season.

“Rudi has done the same as Bobby and it’s the same timescale.” He went on:

“I don’t know at this stage [if it’s the same injury].”

Coventry are aiming for automatic promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2001, after missing out on the play-offs in two of the previous three seasons.

Mark Robins led the Sky Blues to the play-off final in 2023, but a penalty shootout loss to Luton Town condemned them to another season in the Championship.

Lampard led the squad to fifth place in the table the previous season, but a 3-2 aggregate loss against Sunderland kept them in the second tier.

Coventry’s next game is at home against Preston on March 11 at 8 p.m., as they look for their sixth consecutive win.

Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas’ blows will be a test for Coventry.

We are nearing the end of the season, so losing two crucial players like Rudoni and Thomas is a significant blow to the squad.

They handled their absences well against Bristol City, but the next three games will be a true test for Lampard’s squad.

Sakamoto opened the scoring with his first goal for the squad since November, while Victor Torp returned to the starting lineup and performed admirably before being substituted late in the game.

Lampard will be thrilled to see his squad’s depth in action against Bristol City, and he will rely on these individuals to keep this winning streak going in the coming weeks.