It was only a few weeks ago that it seemed life in the Premier League might prove a step too far for newly promoted Coventry City. After storming to the Championship title last season to secure their return to the top flight for the first time since 2001, Frank Lampard's side were given little time to settle into their new surroundings when the campaign began in August. By the end of their first month back in the Premier League, Coventry were rooted to the bottom of the table, having lost all four of their matches by a combined score of 10-0.
The final defeat of that brutal introduction - a 5-0 hammering at the hands of high-flying Brighton - was enough to convince even the most optimistic supporters that a return to the Championship could be on the cards. But since that humbling defeat on the south coast almost six weeks ago, Lampard's side have breathed new life into their campaign, winning three of their next five matches. After back-to-back victories over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United in September, Saturday's 3-1 win over Sunderland lifted the Sky Blues to 15th in the table.
Coventry are not the only newly promoted side to have impressed, with former Championship rivals Ipswich Town and Hull City also making encouraging starts. The three teams have collected a combined 31 points after nine games, the 13th-highest tally by promoted sides at this stage in Premier League history. Hull and Ipswich account for 22 of those points, with Sergej Jakirovic and Gary O'Neil's sides both sitting on 11.
Coventry are slightly behind their promoted peers, but the Sky Blues' three victories have still earned them a respectable nine points. And there is further encouragement for the newcomers - since the 2010-11 season, all 18 promoted teams who have collected at least 11 points from their opening nine games have avoided relegation. When reflecting on Coventry's summer spending spree, it is clear they were under no illusion of what it takes to compete in the Premier League.
The Sky Blues constructed major surgery on their playing squad by shelling out more than £140m on 12 permanent signings. That splurge included the arrivals of Caleb Yirenkyi for a club-record fee, Carl Rushworth from Brighton, and Sidiki Cherif from Fenerbahce. Lampard also added Premier League experience in the form of Loum Tchaouna from Burnley and Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest.
After a summer of such upheaval in the West Midlands, it is no surprise it took Lampard a few weeks - five to be exact - to find his winning touch. Hindsight has also been kind to Coventry. The fact three of their first four Premier League matches were against the current top three - Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton - was clearly far from the ideal introduction.
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