Ian Maatsen was on the scoresheet with his first goal in Coventry City colours as the Sky Blues secured a significant home victory against Fulham in the Championship this weekend.

Coventry fell behind but came roaring back in the second half, aided by a thunderous effort from Maatsen to make it 3-1 on the hour mark. The Dutchman operated throughout from left wing-back, while Jake Clarke-Salter started next to him on the left of the back three.

It was the perfect response for Mark Robins’s side following a heavy 5-0 defeat in midweek away at Luton Town and leaves them third in the table, trailing league leaders Bournemouth by just three points.

Also in England’s second tier, Baba Rahman and Danny Drinkwater recorded back-to-back 90 minutes for Reading as the Royals were beaten 1-0 away at Derby County before bouncing back with a win by the same scoreline at Cardiff City.

Meanwhile, Dujon Sterling played the duration of Blackpool’s two games this week, a 1-1 draw at Hull City and a 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers. The newly-promoted Tangerines have started the campaign brightly and currently sit in mid-table.

Ampadu debuts, Gallagher delights

Ethan Ampadu made his bow for Venezia in Italy last Monday evening, called upon from the bench as a 38th-minute substitute in their 1-1 draw with Torino.

Four days later, the Welsh international started in midfield as the Lagunari snatched a point with a last-minute equaliser at Cagliari, leaving them just a point clear of the Serie A relegation zone.

Another of our Academy graduates, Conor Gallagher, continued to impress in the Premier League with all-action displays in a pair of draws for Crystal Palace.

The 21-year-old won the penalty from which Wilfried Zaha scored the opener against Brighton and Hove Albion, before later teeing up Jordan Ayew for a big chance to make it 2-0, albeit the striker fired just wide. The Seagulls then silenced Selhurst Park with a stoppage-time leveller from Neal Maupay.

Gallagher started again in the 2-2 draw with Leicester City this weekend, though it was his direct replacement Jeffrey Schlupp who netted Palace’s equaliser within seconds of replacing the midfielder.

A busy week on the continent

Emerson Palmieri helped Lyon maintain their 100 per cent winning start in the Europa League, starting at left-back in a 3-0 home victory over Brondby. However, the defender was suspended for the weekend draw at St Etienne which leaves the side who finished fourth last term in Ligue 1 currently languishing in 10th.

Also in Europa League action this midweek was Tino Anjorin, who played all but the final eight minutes for Lokomotiv Moscow in a 2-0 loss at Lazio. Loko were also beaten in the Russian Premier League this weekend, going down 2-1 at home to FK Rostov, a game in which Anjorin was withdrawn at the break.

In La Liga, Matt Miazga retained his place at the back for Alaves following an incredible rearguard effort in last week’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid. However, Los Babazorros were unable to follow that up with a similar result in the latest round of action, falling to Athletic Bilbao by the same narrow scoreline.

Michy Batshuayi was involved throughout Besiktas’s 2-0 defeat to Ajax in the Champions League and 2-1 league win against Sivvaspor, while Thierno Ballo featured for 71 minutes in a 5-2 victory for Rapid Vienna against Tirol in Austria.

Kenedy came off the bench at half-time in Flamengo’s 3-0 win over Athletico Paranaense and Karlo Ziger kept goal as Rudar Velenje were beaten by Triglav in Slovenia.

Mixed fortunes in the EFL

It was a week of mixed fortunes for Jamie Cumming, who was in goal for Gillingham and kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win at Cambridge United before conceding two in a home defeat to Wigan Athletic in League One.

In the same division, Henry Lawrence started at right wing-back and then left-back for AFC Wimbledon respectively in a 3-0 loss at Rotherham United and a 1-1 draw against Burton Albion.

Former Chelsea youngster Luke McCormick got the Dons’ goal in the latter, a result that leaves them 14th in England’s third tier.