Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka faces a late fitness test ahead of Coventry City’s Championship clash against Bristol City on Saturday, with head coach Frank Lampard admitting uncertainty over whether the Nigerian picked up a knock or is simply running low on fuel, Footynaija.com reports.
Onyeka has had quite a start to life at the CBS Arena since joining on loan from Brentford in January. He missed his first two games, one because his wife was about to give birth and the other because she had just done so, then turned up for his debut against Middlesbrough and put in a performance that had fans chanting his name before the night was out.
Coventry won 3-1, and Lampard called it ‘outstanding.’ The 28-year-old followed that up with a man-of-the-match display in the 2-0 win over West Brom.
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Against Stoke on Saturday, though, the engine showed signs of running hot. He took a knock in the first half, received treatment on the pitch, got through to halftime, and was then taken off just ten minutes into the second half with Lampard replacing him with Victor Torp.
“I’m not sure yet. I think it’s a lot of fatigue and maybe a bit of a knock. He was struggling a bit, so he had to come off,” the former Chelsea midfielder told Coventry Live after the game.
He also admitted he had doubts about starting Onyeka in the first place, given how little football he had played before arriving in Coventry, but said the midfielder’s influence since joining made the decision for him.
Coventry captain Matt Grimes said he checked in with Onyeka after the final whistle and was told he would be fine, describing the substitution as a precaution.
The Sky Blues are top of the Championship table, five points above Middlesbrough.
