Aston Villa heap misery on Frank Lampard’s Coventry with 3-1 Carabao Cup victory… it’s early days but this season is already looking alarming for the Sky Blues, writes TOM COLLOMOSSE

Frank Lampard is learning that even when you lead a club to promotion, management can feel a horribly lonely place when it starts to go wrong.

The former England midfielder guided Coventry back to the top flight for the first time in 25 years but just six games into their campaign, it is already looking alarming. Their defending was awful here, particularly from set pieces, and there were some boos in the second half.

The Carabao Cup will not determine Coventry’s season. However, they have now lost five of six in all competitions as Aston Villa claimed their first victory in domestic football this term. 

Two goals from Tammy Abraham – who was given his chance by Lampard at Chelsea – and another from Ross Barkley sent Villa into round five, with Victor Torp’s first-half equaliser a rare bright moment for Lampard’s team.

Villa boss Unai Emery will be encouraged by Ibrahim Mbaye’s exciting performance, which could earn him a starting spot at Tottenham on Saturday. Villa made seven changes to Coventry’s nine, and both conceded far too many chances. Villa will surely improve; Coventry simply must do so.

Emery was not thrilled that Abraham decided to stay at Villa rather than join Ipswich on loan and in the early exchanges, the Villa boss berated his forward twice for failing to follow instructions.

Unai Emery wanted Abraham to leave this summer, but the striker silenced the doubters here

It was another brutal result for Frank Lampard and his side must dramatically and quickly

Abraham answered in the best way possible. George Hemmings collected a pass from full debutant Matteo Ruggeri and slipped Abraham through for a calm finish beyond Dan Bentley.

Villa looked in control until Barkley trod on the ball and fouled Caleb Yirenkyi just outside the Villa box. From the free-kick, Torp curled in Coventry’s first home goal of the season.

Last time these clubs met, in 2001, Coventry lost 3-2 at Villa Park and were relegated from the top flight. They have been all the way to League Two and back since then and the equaliser made them believe once more.

Bobby Thomas robbed Tyrone Mings inside the box but instead of shooting, tried to tee up Sidiki Cherif for a debut goal. Then Gustavo Hamer’s dipping effort flew just wide.

Neither side’s defence was remotely convincing and Ibrahim Mbaye was enjoying his first start for Villa. The £50m signing’s shot rebounded into the path of John McGinn who shot wide, before Barkley went close from 25 yards.

Bentley tipped that one wide but from Mbaye’s corner, Barkley was left alone on the edge of the six-yard box to head Emery’s men back in front.

There was still time before the break for Cherif to shoot straight at Marco Bizot when he should have picked out a team-mate. That would be reserve keeper Bizot’s last involvement as he was replaced by Zion Suzuki for the second half.

If Coventry’s marking was bad for the second goal, they surpassed themselves for the third. This time McGinn drilled a low ball that was dummied by Barkley and Hemmings and steered home by Abraham inside the six-yard box. Not one of the Sky Blues players inside the box had attempted a clearance.