Loan report: Rushworth heroics lift Sky Blues

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Matthew Bishop

2025-12-15T14:30+00:00

Carl Rushworth helped Coventry extend their lead at the top of the Championship with a 1-0 win over Bristol City. 📷 by Dennis Goodwin.

Carl Rushworth was the star of the show for Coventry during another busy weekend for Albion’s out-on-loan players in England and across Europe.

Rushworth kept a clean sheet to help the Sky Blues return to winning ways with a 1-0 win against Bristol City on Saturday, following a defeat to Ipswich last weekend and a draw against Preston on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper made a string of stunning saves for Frank Lampard’s side to keep the Robins at bay and extend Coventry’s lead at the top of the Championship to five points.

Speaking to Coventry City TV, Rushworth said, “This was the perfect game and perfect time for us to make a statement.

“The last two matches have been disappointing so to come back home and show some grit and determination was massive.

“We were under pressure for a lot of the match so getting a clean sheet was extra special.”

Carl Rushworth. ⛔️

Big moments. Big saves. 🔒 pic.twitter.com/mWOV9WVKF1
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) December 14, 2025

Another Albion player aiming for promotion with their adopted team is Amario Cozier-Duberry at Bolton and the winger helped the Trotters make it two wins in a week with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Exeter City.

After coming off the bench during Tuesday’s win at Mansfield, Cozier-Duberry played 90 minutes against the Grecians on Saturday as Steven Schumacher’s side came from behind late on to stay fourth in League One.

Elsewhere in the EFL, Malick Yalcouye came off the bench for Swansea in their 2-1 defeat to high-flying Stoke after the Mali midfielder registered an assist during Tuesday’s win against Portsmouth. Caylan Vickers played half-an-hour of Barnsley’s 3-2 victory over Leyton Orient.

Jacob Slater and Kamari Doyle were also in EFL action on Saturday, with the pair starting for Harrogate Town and Reading, but Slater’s Sulphurites could only draw 1-1 with Cheltenham and Doyle’s Royals lost 2-0 at promotion-chasing Bradford.

Libby Bance, Olivia Johnson and Jess Pegram are our women's first team players out on loan and Bance helped Birmingham City progress in the Adobe FA Cup with a 6-0 win over Sporting Khalsa.

The 22-year-old started in the heart of Birmingham's midfield as the Blues sealed their spot in the fourth round draw, which takes place on Monday night.

Johnson's Bristol City are also in the hat after they beat Portsmouth 2-0, but our forward was an unused substitute for the Robins, while centre-back Pegram helped Rangers keep a clean sheet north of the border in their 3-0 win against Partick Thistle.

In Europe, Matt O’Riley was a half-time substitute for Marseille as Les Olympiens earned a last-gasp 1-0 win against Monaco to keep in touch with Lens at the top of Ligue 1.

The Dane also registered an assist during the week for Roberto De Zerbi’s side as they beat Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 3-2 in the Champions League while, in the Europa League, Evan Ferguson netted a brace for Roma as they thumped Celtic 3-0 in Glasgow.

Ferguson will be hoping to show similar form when Gian Gasperini’s side return to Serie A action on Monday night against Como.

James Beadle (Birmingham City), Jeremy Sarmiento (Cremonese) and Mark O’Mahony (Reading) all missed out over the weekend due to injury while Igor (West Ham), Eiran Cashin (Birmingham City) and Ibrahim Osman (Lille) were unused substitutes.