Newcastle fell behind in the opening stages of the league clash following Jack Rudoni's penalty as Lukáš Horníček brought down Sidiki Cherif inside the penalty area before Cherif's clinical finish shortly after the restart doubled the Sky Blues' advantage.

Sven Botman's stunning strike halved the deficit for the visitors in the closing stages but late strikes from Ellis Simms and Stephen Mfuni rounded off a difficult night for Matthias Jaissle's side.

The German head coach made one change from last month's 2-1 win against Hull City as Nico González, who suffered a concussion against Leeds United, replaced Sean Steur in the middle of the park.

Targeting a win to move into fourth place of the English top-flight, Newcastle conceded in the sixth minute following Rudoni's penalty, the host's first Premier League goal on home soil for more than 25 years.

After Hornícek was unable to claim an initial loose ball into the box, the 24-year-old scrambled out to recover before bundling Cherif over inside the penalty area, with Rudoni dispatching the resulting spot-kick after sending the Czechia international the wrong way.

Harvey Barnes went close to drawing the visitors shortly after as the 28-year-old, nearing a century of career goals, drove towards goal from distance before his low 20-yard drive was blocked by Bobby Thomas.

The left winger took aim once more minutes later after controlling Joe Willock's lay-off inside the box but his effort at goal was directed straight into the hands of City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

Matias Fernandez-Pardo, targeting a first Magpies goal since last summer's move from Ligue 1 side Lille, missed a key opportunity to draw Newcastle level as the unmarked Belgium international dummied Jacob Murphy's low cross following Lewis Miley's neat pass down the right flank.

The hosts completed a dangerous counter-attack following Fernandez-Pardo's misfortune but Horníček was on hand to parry Cherif's strike towards goal before smothering the loose ball.

Newcastle continued their pursuit of a leveller as Murphy, who spent the 2015/16 season on loan at Coventry, met Barnes' teasing cross at the back post but despite nodding the ball across the six-yard area, Thomas turned the ball over his own crossbar.

United went agonisingly close to equalising on the stroke of half-time as Fernandez-Pardo raced onto Nico González's through ball but, despite rounding Rushworth, saw his goal bound shot blocked on the line by the recovering Thomas.

The Magpies suffered a tough blow in the 48th minute as Cherif, making his full Premier League debut, extended Coventry's lead.

After Newcastle were unable to clear their lines following a long throw-in into the box, Cherif drilled a powerful first-time effort through a crowd of bodies into the bottom right-hand corner. Yoane Wissa aimed to halve United's deficit in swift fashion as the DR Congo international found time and space on the edge of the box but his attempt at goal was held by Rushworth.

In the 70th minute, Newcastle pulled a goal back through Botman, the Dutchman's first goal since February, as the centre-back carried the ball towards goal before unleashing a wonderful effort from the edge of the box into the top left-hand corner.

Coventry, however, regained their two-goal advantage in the 81st minute as Simms, introduced from the bench, made an instant impact as the striker picked up the ball on the edge of the box after Joelinton, making his first competitive outing since May, lost possession in a dangerous position before the City forward's deflected effort flew beyond Horníček.

Mfuni, another substitute for Frank Lampard's side, rounded off the scoring in the 86th minute as the City full-back drove into the box before firing a bending effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

Newcastle United: Lukáš Horníček, Lewis Hall, Sven Botman, Nico González, Yoane Wissa (Will Osula 78), Harvey Barnes, Malick Thiaw (c), Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Jacob Murphy (Bazoumana Touré 59 (Dan Burn 90)), Joe Willock (Joelinton 59), Lewis Miley (Amar Dedić 59).

Subs not used: Nick Pope, Fabian Schär, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur.