Frank Lampard dealt big Coventry City blow that could affect Premier League push | OneFootball

Oliver Dovin's serious-looking injury is a big blow for Coventry City in their pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.

It has been an excellent few months for Coventry City in the Championship, but they suffered a rare setback as they were beaten 3-1 by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Friday night.

Coventry made the controversial decision to part company with long-serving manager Mark Robins in November, replacing him with Frank Lampard, and the managerial change has certainly had the desired effect.

Despite sitting 17th in the table when Lampard arrived, the Sky Blues surged into play-off contention after a recent run of 10 victories in 12 games, but it was a tough evening for them against automatic promotion hopefuls Sheffield United.

Goals from Gustavo Hamer, Tyrese Campbell and Rhian Brewster gave the Blades a deserved three-goal lead after a dominant performance, and while Jack Rudoni did pull one back for the visitors in stoppage time, it came much too late for them to mount a comeback.

The defeat did not prove to be too damaging for Coventry as the two sides directly below them - West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City - were also beaten on Saturday, meaning that Lampard's men remain fifth in the table, but the serious-looking injury sustained by goalkeeper Oliver Dovin is a big cause for concern.

Frank Lampard issues worrying Oliver Dovin injury update

Dovin joined Coventry from Swedish side Hammarby in the summer, and he started the club's first six games of the season, but he was dropped in September following some uncertain performances, with Robins turning to the experienced Ben Wilson.

The 22-year-old made a swift return to the starting line-up just three games later after Wilson suffered a knee injury, but his reprieve was short-lived as he was dropped in November by caretaker manager Rhys Carr in favour of Brad Collins.

Lampard initially stuck with Collins after taking over at the CBS Arena, but he decided to turn back to Dovin in late December, and it proved to be a good move as he went on to keep seven clean sheets in his next 17 appearances to help provide a solid platform for the Sky Blues' rise up the table.

Dovin's impressive form earned him a call-up to the senior Sweden squad during the recent international break, and he was an unused substitute for the games against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland, but he could now be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

After receiving treatment on the pitch for several minutes following a collision with Tyrese Campbell in the box, Dovin was stretchered off towards the end of the first half at Bramall Lane on Friday night, and Lampard admitted post-match that he was concerned by the potential severity of the injury.

"We don’t know yet. It’s a knee injury to be assessed," Lampard told Coventry Live.

"I am bit concerned about it but we don’t know enough about it yet."

When pressed further about whether Dovin had suffered a knee ligament injury, Lampard said: "Yeah, possibly. I didn’t see what happened but obviously it’s a concern but we’ll have to see."

Lampard will likely provide a more comprehensive update on Dovin's fitness ahead of Saturday's game against Burnley, but the fact that the Sky Blues decided to recall young goalkeeper Luke Bell from his loan spell at non-league side Gloucester City this week suggests that he could be facing an extended lay-off.

Oliver Dovin injury blow could cost Coventry City promotion

With their squad already stretched by injuries and illness, Coventry named both Wilson and Collins on the bench against Sheffield United, and Lampard called upon the latter to replace Dovin after he was forced off.

Collins produced an excellent save shortly after his introduction to deny Campbell, and while there was little he could have done to prevent Brewster's third goal, he kept the Blades at bay in the second half with some important stops.

It looks likely that Collins will now get the nod to start between the sticks for the remainder of the season, but some Sky Blues supporters questioned why Lampard did not bring on Wilson instead, and that debate will continue to rage over the coming weeks.

Former manager Robins seemed to be equally conflicted about whether to start Wilson or Collins as he switched between the pair on a number of occasions last season, and Lampard will now face a similar dilemma during Dovin's absence.

Reports emerged on Tuesday linking Coventry with a summer move for goalkeeper Kees Sims, who currently plays for Swedish top flight side GAIS, and that suggests that Lampard does not view Wilson or Collins as part of his long-term plans at the CBS Arena.

The Sky Blues have conceded 51 league goals this season, which is by far the highest total of the teams currently occupying the play-off places, so Dovin's injury could potentially expose a vulnerable defence even further.

In such a tight and competitive race for the final two spots in the top six, Coventry have little margin for error between now and the end of the season, and the loss of their first-choice goalkeeper is undoubtedly a major blow in their pursuit of promotion.