Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has been ruled out of Friday night’s trip to Blackburn Rovers where Coventry City are hoping to get the final point the club requires to confirm their promotion back to the Premier League . Head coach Frank Lampard has provided a condition update on the influential Japanese winger, admitting that there are doubts over his availability for the remaining three matches of the season after the game at Ewood Park. Asked about the 29-year-old’s availability after he sat out last weekend’s goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday with a rib injury suffered at Hull on Easter Monday, Lampard said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Blackburn: “Yeah, he won’t be fit for this game. He’s doing okay, but it’s a sore injury in his ribs.” FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK! Get more Coventry City news and analysis via our FB page As to whether he’s hoping the popular player will be back before the end of the season, the City boss said: “We’re going to have to see about that.” Brandon Thomas-Asante started in Sakamoto’s place last weekend – the striker having had injury issues of his own after sitting out the Easter programme with a hamstring strain – and will again be favourite to deputise. Wingers Romain Esse and Jahnoah Markelo are also options. “He’s a good player who can play across all attacking areas,” said Lampard of Thomas-Asante. “He’s been very effective for us as a 10, as a right winger and as a left winger this season, so it was a simple choice. And Brandon sometimes pushes that choice by how he trains, how he acts, how he is, his positivity, his pressing abilities – all those things. So he’s been a big player in what we’ve done this season. “Unfortunately injuries have meant he’s missed parts of the season and without the injuries his numbers that he could have wrapped up and his impact would have been really, really big. But he’s still been very big for us.” Every day, the CoventryLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Coventry City content. Our dedicated reporter Andy Turner – who you can follow on X – follows the Sky Blues home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between. So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur – that’s why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you’ll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox. You can also get all your favourite content from CoventryLive’s Sky Blues team on WhatsApp. Sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club.