Jay Dasilva scored the only goal as Coventry won 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, a first Premier League victory of the season and the club’s first at the top level since a 1-0 win over Sunderland in April 2001. It was also Coventry’s 100th win in the competition overall, and it was celebrated rapturously by the travelling supporters.
The result arrived against a backdrop of doubt. Promotion from the Championship had rehabilitated Frank Lampard’s reputation, but Coventry’s troubled start to the season had revived questions about his capabilities as a Premier League manager, with far too many echoes of the club’s quarter century in the wilderness. Whatever the season holds, the visiting fans were determined to enjoy themselves, singing repeated choruses of their boating song under a weakening early-evening sun — even if it lasts for a single season, why not make the most of it?
Nottingham Forest’s home league record in 2026 continues to be wretched, with only Burnley in April leaving the City Ground in defeat. This was their third home game of the league campaign without a goal — the first time in their history they have failed to score in their opening three home fixtures of a league season. The previous week’s victory at Aston Villa had offered further confirmation of Morgan Gibbs-White’s importance to Oliver Glasner’s side, as if any were needed. Gibbs-White remains ignored by Thomas Tuchel despite verifiable claims that he is the most in-form English No 10 around, though like his team he is doing his best work away from West Bridgford.
There were early signs of his influence. A deft header to Liam Delap and a cogent flick to James McAtee suggested Gibbs-White was in the mood, while Delap, showing positive signs of being the player glimpsed at Ipswich, made an early barrelling run down the flank and fizzed in a cross after a Cruyff turn. Ephron Mason-Clark was lively in Coventry’s attack but suffered from a lack of support until a spell of sustained pressure had the home fans groaning with concern. Forest never located the momentum to break down Coventry’s defensive shield, and the coherence of their attacking play ebbed as the first half closed out. Daniel Muñoz, a palpable hit since following Glasner to Forest, was often their most advanced player from wingback but struggled to find the wavelength of his teammates, and Coventry, defending in heavy numbers, reduced the home side to potshots such as Delap’s snapshot wide as Glasner showed his frustration from the technical area.
Coventry’s kick-off for the second half saw their players line up in a formation resembling that for a rugby union dropout, previewing the long-ball tactics that produced the breakthrough. Loum Tchaouna, introduced at the interval, cut inside to shoot, far too weakly to beat Matz Sels, but within moments Dasilva blazed on to a diagonal ball from his goalkeeper, Carl Rushworth, showing real strength for a player of such diminutive dimensions and a beautiful first touch to beat Muñoz. The finish was just as adept and the celebrations among the away fans were deafening. It was Coventry’s first Premier League goal of the season, and only the second time a team’s opening goal of a campaign has been assisted by a goalkeeper, after Peter Schmeichel for Manchester United in 1992-93. Coventry’s previous Premier League scorer had been Mustapha Hadji in a losing effort at Aston Villa that confirmed relegation.
Glasner responded by throwing on Chris Wood, old reliable, and Igor Jesus, pushing Delap to the wings. Bobby Thomas chased back to clear a chip from Igor Jesus that had Rushworth beaten, and the striker did have the ball in the net later, only for the video assistant referee to advise Jarred Gillett that Caleb Yirenkyi had been fouled before the ball crossed the line. It looked harsh, Yirenkyi falling rather too readily under minimal contact, and the home fans, coaches and players alike were enraged.
After the goal Coventry dug in doggedly, squeezing play so that Forest’s creative talents were blunted, though they rode their luck with that late video assistant referee call. Their supporters, by then fully enjoying the ride, contrasted sharply with the guttural rage of the home crowd, who have had their fill of video-assisted officiating.