Ellis Simms almost snatches point as Coventry impress in defeat to Man City

Ellis Simms came close to salvaging a remarkable point for Coventry City off the bench, only to be denied by a smart Gianluigi Donnarumma save as newly promoted Coventry fell 1-0 to Manchester City. Frank Lampard's side left the Etihad with nothing to show for a performance that suggested their return to the top flight won't be as one-sided as some predicted.

The defeat left Coventry without a goal through their opening matches of their first Premier League campaign in 25 years, but Lampard was quick to point out afterwards that his side had faced about as difficult a start as the fixture list could have produced. "I don't think we deserved to lose," Lampard said after the final whistle, praising his players' application against the reigning champions.

How Ellis Simms almost stole a point at the Etihad

Simms was introduced from the bench and almost immediately looked like Coventry's likeliest source of a leveller, with his late effort denied only by a smart intervention from Donnarumma. It continued a breakout campaign for the striker that began in earnest last season, when he scored a hat-trick in Coventry's final Championship match at Watford to help seal the club's promotion in style, taking his tally to 14 goals for the campaign. Taiwo Awoniyi also had a glorious chance to level the scores when clean through on goal, missing the target in a moment that summed up a Coventry performance built on creating genuine opportunities against elite opposition rather than simply containing them.

Ellis Simms' rise from Everton academy product to Premier League forward

Simms' path to today's near-miss against City has been built on a steady climb through the divisions, and his manager's faith in him has been a consistent thread throughout.

• Academy beginnings: Came through Everton's academy before a series of loan spells at Blackpool, Hearts and Sunderland.
• Coventry breakthrough: Became a regular under Frank Lampard, who previously worked with him during his time at Everton.
• Promotion-winning season: Scored a hat-trick in Coventry's final match of last season, finishing with 14 goals in all competitions.
• Today's role: Introduced as a substitute against Manchester City, forcing a smart save from Donnarumma in the closing stages.

Why Lampard's honest assessment carries real weight

Lampard's post-match comments reflected a manager well aware of the scale of the challenge his newly promoted side face, having already played Arsenal and Manchester City in their opening matches back in the top flight. "We have played the two toughest teams on paper," Lampard noted, adding that his side's growth through the second half represented genuine progress from their previous outing. For a club that spent a quarter of a century outside the Premier League before this season, performances of this quality against the division's best sides offer real encouragement even without points to show for it.

What today's performance means for Coventry's season

With their toughest opening fixtures now behind them, Coventry will hope performances like today's translate into results against less imposing opposition in the weeks ahead. Simms' continued sharpness in front of goal, evident again in his brief cameo at the Etihad, gives Lampard a reliable source of goals as the fixtures become more winnable, and if today's display is anything to go by, Coventry look considerably better equipped for life in the Premier League than a three-game losing start might otherwise suggest. Elliot Anderson's dominant passing display for City, finishing the game with 155 attempted passes, underlined just how much control the champions enjoyed, yet Coventry's ability to threaten on the counter throughout suggests Lampard's approach is already finding the right balance for the level.