Frank Lampard opens up on a Hull City problem that affected Coventry City

Coventry City and Hull City played out another goalless draw on Monday, mirroring their opening-day result, though the stakes this time were far higher.

Both sides have exceeded early-season expectations and are now competing near the top of the table. While a point keeps Coventry comfortably ahead in the standings, Hull missed the chance to fully capitalise on their position, despite maintaining a gap over their closest challengers.

Hull delivered a disciplined performance under Sergej Jakirović, frustrating one of the league’s most potent attacks. They limited Frank Lampard’s side to just one shot on target, becoming the first team since Oxford United in February to keep a clean sheet against them.

Lampard pointed to the condition of the pitch at the MKM Stadium as a factor in the game. He noted that the surface made it difficult to move the ball smoothly, although he stressed it was not an excuse and that both teams had to deal with the same conditions.

Despite the challenging pitch, Lampard was satisfied with his team’s effort, praising their resilience in securing a point and a clean sheet during a crucial stage of the season.

Jakirović, however, responded light-heartedly to the comments, suggesting the pitch was actually in its best shape of the spring and joking that it would have been far worse earlier in the year. He maintained that his players adapted well and had no major technical issues during the match.

With Coventry pushing for a return to the top flight and Hull aiming to secure promotion through the play-offs, both teams remain firmly in contention—though the MKM Stadium surface may continue to be a talking point if Hull reach the Premier League.