Super Eagles midfielder, Frank Onyeka, has urged his Coventry City teammates to remain tactically disciplined and avoid complacency when they begin their Premier League campaign against Arsenal on August 21.
Coventry are back in the English top flight for the first time since 2001 after securing promotion from the Championship under Frank Lampard last season. Onyeka played a pivotal role in that success during his loan spell from Brentford before completing a permanent move this summer.
Their return to the Premier League begins with a daunting test against reigning champions Arsenal, who ended a 22-year wait for the league title last season by finishing seven points ahead of Manchester City.
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Onyeka identified the teams he believes will pose the biggest challenges.
“I would have to say Man City, Arsenal, Brighton, Liverpool,” the 28-year-old told Coventry Live, naming the sides his teammates should be most wary of.
“Those are the teams that you know will have the ball a lot, and so you need to run, and you need to defend. Those are the teams that are really getting close to you, so you need to be compact, and you need to be focused.
“In terms of individuals, the likes of De Bruyne, Odegaard and Foden, because what they do is they are so clever playing behind you so you cannot really see where they are. You have to be focused throughout because you can get punished at any time. So we need to be tactically strong and defend well, and make sure we take our chances from set-pieces and counter attacks.”
The Nigerian international also expressed delight over Lampard’s decision to extend his stay at the club, after the former Chelsea midfielder signed a new contract on June 30 that will keep him at Coventry until 2029.
“It was nice because I had heard some rumours that he was maybe going to leave, and that was like, oh. But it is great because he is a legend of the game and I watched him play.
“For me, being proud of this group, it is huge, and I am really grateful that he gave me the opportunity to be here and be part of this club,” said the 45-cap Super Eagles star.
After their opening clash with Arsenal, Coventry will face Hull City, Manchester City, Brighton and Nottingham Forest in their first five Premier League matches.
