Frank Lampard issues huge Jack Rudoni update - Coventry City fans will be happy | OneFootball

The influential playmaker is set to return for the Sky Blues after the international break

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard has issued a hugely positive update on Jack Rudoni's expected return to fitness as the Sky Blues prepare for a mouth-watering clash at Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.

The West Midlands side are flying under the former Chelsea and England midfield icon, who has stated that their star playmaker could return straight after the international break, which sees Championship football take a two-week backseat for the final time this calendar year.

Coventry will be looking to record a second successive victory heading into the fixture gap, and it is an encounter at the Bet365 Stadium which provides plenty of subplots, especially as they face off against Lampard's predecessor and modern-day icon at the CBS Arena, Mark Robins.

It also comes just days after both of the duo initially emerged as rather surprise contenders to take the Southampton vacancy following Will Still's departure, although talk of such a dramatic change has since quietened massively.

As such, Lampard is clearly focused on the task at hand in the Potteries, which could see the Sky Blues extend their gap at the top of the table to as much as five points — depending on the results of Middlesbrough and Preston North End.

Such developments would only add to what has been a dream start to his first full season in CV6, and the prospects of facing off against his free-scoring side will have only worsened for their opponents post-international break once Rudoni is expected to be back in contention.

Frank Lampard issues huge Coventry City update involving Jack Rudoni

Rudoni had been, arguably, City's most influential figure under Lampard, who became the prime beneficiary of a £5m agreement between the Sky Blues and Huddersfield Town last summer.

After hitting double-figures in both goals and assists across all competitions last season, more of the same was expected from the former AFC Wimbledon man as City asserted themselves as one of the early-season promotion hopefuls with several dominant attacking displays.

The pick of those came through a 7-1 hammering of QPR on August 23rd, in which the 24-year-old picked up all of his two goals and one assist thus far, having gone on to feature in all of City's opening six matches.

Concern then came to the fore when he was left out of Coventry's squad for a 3-0 win over local rivals, Birmingham City, on September 27th, with Lampard later revealing a calf issue wouldn't keep the playmaker sidelined for a prolonged period.

After sitting out the past eight games — nine by the end of Saturday's game vs Stoke — of which City have won seven thus far, such circumstances have more or less rung true, as the 47-year-old expects him to be back by the time they face off against West Bromwich Albion in two weeks' time.

“We’re hoping he’s fit the other side of the international break,” Lampard said. “It was a possibility he could have been back before but it was never clear.

“He’s working with the physios, he’s doing a lot of strength training, specifically on his calf, but obviously his whole body to give him a chance to work on that and then he’s on the pitch individually today, which is his first session on the grass," he added.

Jack Rudoni's pending Coventry City return is a huge boost in Sky Blues' promotion quest

It has been a case of 'no Rudoni, no problem' in all-but-one of City's Championship games thus far, with goals flying in from all angles.

Brandon Thomas-Asante and Haji Wright are the division's leading marksmen, having been responsible for 18 of the 39 goals scored in just 14 encounters.

As such, it is an ominous sign for Coventry's promotion competitors that Rudoni's return will only increase confidence and output, particularly as he was set to sign a 'bumper' contract extension in September prior to his injury layoff, snubbing Premier League interest in the process.