Frank Lampard has highlighted Fulham's possession-based style as a key strength ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Coventry City, but admitted his side's performances have not yielded enough points. The manager also confirmed several selection headaches, with Ryan Sessegnon suspended and others working back to full fitness. Fulham, who sit 18th with five points from seven games, travel to face the 17th-placed Sky Blues in a key early-season encounter at the CBS Arena.

Lampard said the team has a clear identity. "We have a good style of play and like a lot of possession," he stated. "We can build or play through and have many entries into the final third. But our results do not align with our performances." The manager pointed to last weekend's 1-0 win over Hull City, secured by an Alex Iwobi goal, as a positive step, but noted the wider pattern of their league position. He stressed that the team's 10 goals scored this season, including a key 90th minute winner against Hull, must be matched by greater defensive solidity after conceding 15 times.

Squad availability

Ryan Sessegnon will miss the match through suspension after his red card in stoppage time against Hull. However, Lampard expects Hugo Larsson and Emile Smith Rowe to be available after missing that victory. "Hugo is okay. Emile had some issues after the last training session last Friday, but yesterday he completed all training sessions, so I think he will be available," the manager said. Young midfielder Josh Eccles is also working his way back from an ankle issue.

New signings Loum Tchaouna and Yann Gboho are fit and training but are still adapting to the team's demands. Lampard dismissed any speculation about their recent absence from a matchday squad. "Sometimes there's not the drama behind it that people presume," he said, explaining that selection is based purely on training and suitability for the gameplan. He also praised the work ethic of midfielder Gustavo Hamer, calling him a good example for the squad.

Fulham's recent form shows two wins, two draws and one defeat from their last five outings, a sequence that includes a 2-1 loss at Ipswich and a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. They face a Coventry side directly above them in the table, with just one point separating the teams. Lampard's final message was clear: "We need to fight again for the win." The match kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, with fans able to view the full fixtures schedule on the club's site.

More detail at bbc.co.uk