Lampard backed for England job after Coventry's 3-0 Premier League loss

Coventry City began their 2026 Premier League campaign with a 3-0 defeat at home to defending champions Arsenal. The result leaves Frank Lampard’s side 20th with 0 points from one match and a 0-3 goal record.

The difficult start has not changed Jamie Carragher’s view that Lampard could eventually manage England. Carragher believes the former Chelsea midfielder has developed through setbacks in management and is building the experience required for one of the biggest jobs in football.

Carragher expects Lampard to be a possible successor to Thomas Tuchel after Euro 2028. Tuchel currently leads England, while Carragher continues to favour an English coach for the national team.

Lampard’s coaching background includes keeping Everton in the Premier League, guiding Coventry into the top flight and managing Chelsea in the Champions League. Carragher also considers the Coventry appointment a significant test because Lampard replaced a manager who had developed a strong relationship with the club’s supporters.

Coventry’s early league position contrasts with their results immediately before the Premier League campaign. They drew 0-0 away to Northampton Town and 1-1 at Blackburn, while recording wins over Watford, Wrexham and Portsmouth. Those victories came by 4-0, 3-1 and 5-1 respectively.

The defeat against Arsenal was Coventry’s first top-flight match since their return, with the club appearing in the Premier League for the first time since 2001. Lampard’s next opportunity to collect points comes on 29 August, when Hull City visit Coventry in the club’s first Premier League home fixture for more than two decades.