Coventry City stun Newcastle United 4-1 to end 25-year wait for home win

Coventry City secured their first top-flight home victory in 25 years with a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United, as goals from Jack Rudoni, Sidiki Cherif, Ellis Simms and debutant substitute Stephen Mfuni lifted Frank Lampard’s side out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Sky Blues moved level on points with Manchester United after a dominant display at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Monday night, leaving Newcastle with little opportunity to recover from a disastrous opening.

The visitors fell behind after only four minutes when goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek dropped what appeared to be a routine cross before tripping Cherif inside the penalty area.

Rudoni took responsibility from the spot and converted in the fifth minute, scoring Coventry’s first Premier League goal at home since April 2001.

Newcastle pushed for an equaliser before half-time, but Coventry produced a decisive moment of last-ditch defending when Bobby Thomas made a remarkable goal-line clearance to prevent Matias Fernandez-Pardo from scoring.

That intervention proved especially important three minutes after the restart. Cherif reacted quickest after Newcastle cleared a throw-in and drove a low shot beyond Hornicek to double Coventry’s advantage.

Newcastle finally found a way back into the contest after 70 minutes, when Sven Botman struck a powerful effort from distance to reduce the deficit.

Coventry, however, continued to threaten and restored their two-goal lead 11 minutes later. Brandon Thomas-Asante dispossessed Joelinton outside the area before setting up Simms, whose shot took a deflection off Malick Thiaw on its way into the net.

The home side completed a memorable evening in the 86th minute. Mfuni, introduced as a substitute for his debut, smashed in Coventry’s fourth goal to send the home crowd into celebrations.