Onyeka tells teammates to stay sharp before EPL start

Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka has told his Coventry City teammates to avoid being too relaxed ahead of their Premier League opener against Arsenal on August 21. He urged them to be smart on the field against a team he called tough to handle, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Coventry is back in the top league for the first time since 2001 after Frank Lampard helped them get promoted from the EFL Championship last season. Onyeka played a big role in that season after he joined on loan from Brentford.

Arsenal, on the other hand, finally won a league title after 22 years last season. They finished seven points ahead of Manchester City.

“I would have to say Man City, Arsenal, Brighton, Liverpool,” the 28-year-old told Coventry Live, naming the teams his teammates should watch out for.

“Those are the teams that you know will have the ball a lot, and so you need to run, and you need to defend. Those are the teams that are really getting close to you, so you need to be compact, and you need to be focused.

“Individually, players like De Bruyne, Odegaard, and Foden are tricky because they play smartly behind you, making it hard to track them. You have to stay alert the whole time because you can be punished any moment. So we need to be strong in our tactics, defend well, and also take our chances from set-pieces and counter-attacks.”

Onyeka, who joined Coventry full-time this summer after five years with Brentford, also praised manager Frank Lampard for signing a new contract on June 30. This deal keeps him at the club until 2029.

“It was nice because I had heard some rumours that he might leave, and that made me worry a bit. But it is great because he is a legend of the game and I watched him play.

“For me, being proud of this group is huge, and I am really grateful that he gave me the chance to be here and be part of this club,” said the 45-cap Super Eagles star.

Coventry will play Arsenal, Hull City, Manchester City, Brighton, and Nottingham Forest in their first five matches of the Premier League.