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Coventry’s Haji Wright’s dominant display last time out versus Sunderland could be recreated during play-off semi-final.
That’s what the American and the Coventry City faithful will be hoping for.
The Sky Blues haven’t lost to Sunderland in their last 10 meetings, 5 wins and 5 draws.
A dominant display from Wright back in March helped propel Coventry back into the Championship play-off places, and scuppered Sunderland’s automatic promotion hopes once and for all.
Now, it also provides an opportunity for Coventry City to fix their Championship play-offs record and ease the pain of the heartbreak of 2022/23 when they lost to Luton Town.
Haji Wright hat-trick last time out versus Sunderland
Around a month ago, Wright watched back his hat-trick for the Sky Blues’ YouTube channel and provided his commentary on each goal.
“First goal, perfect pass from Victor Torp.,” Wright said watching his first goal.
“I was able to cut inside on my weaker foot. I was able to get a clean strike on it and put it in the net, a decent finish.”
For the second he said: “It was about the same spot, I was able to face the defender up and you want them in a one v one position. I knew exactly what I wanted to do so I was able to do a move and cut inside of him and then he just cut me down, I knew immediately it was going to be a penalty.
“As soon as I stepped up I had the feeling I was going to score. Right down the middle, I had a feeling the keeper was going to move, so the middle is always an easy choice.
The United States international’s two goals in nine first-half minutes were his first since he scored against the Black Cats in November.
“The third goal, Torp on the turn, I saw the keeper come out so he made my mind up for me. I was able to dink it over him, and hat-trick, a great feeling finally.
Wright, who spent much of the past four months on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury in that previous meeting, opened the scoring with a powerful finish before doubling the lead from the spot after Chris Mepham brought him down.
Wright’s 73rd-minute chipped finish for his treble against Sunderland lifted Lampard’s Coventry City to fifth in the Championship table, and Frank Lampard may look to replicate his 2019 ‘underdogs’ mentality, which proved so successful for Derby County.
What Haji Wright could do during play-off semi-final
The last time Wright faced Sunderland he scored 3 goals, had 6 shots on target, won 1 penalty, had 11 touches in Sunderland’s box and 4 shots on target, according to FotMob.
A truly dominant display, meaning Sunderland are going to have a big job on their hands keeping him under wraps especially with the added the pressure of the play-offs this time around.
Sunderland’s back line can’t afford to let Wright, one of the most in-form players in the league right now, have the run-down he had last time.
Overall, Wright boasts 12 goals this season, 27 shots on target, 1 assist and 21 starts in 27 games.
Wright is also used to scoring big goals when it matters, in March last year he converted a 100th minute stoppage time goal for Coventry in the quarter-finals of the 2023–24 FA Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers, helping the club progress beyond the round for the first time since Coventry’s 1986–87 FA Cup victory.
In the semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley he scored a 95th minute equalising penalty to complete a comeback from 3-0 down and take the game to extra time.
He then provided an assist for a 121st minute goal by Victor Torp, but this was disallowed by VAR for offside and Coventry were eliminated on penalties.
Despite picking up an ankle injury in November, he has still had a strong season, currently on 12 goals for the season compared to last season’s 19, he could be looking to try beat this tally and his first port of call is this semi-final versus Sunderland, meaning the Black Cats are in for a tough ride.