Coventry will play Premiership football next season after Blackburn crashed to defeat against Nottingham Forest.

The Sky Blues, on 40 points before today, only needed a draw to all but make themselves safe, such was Southampton's dire goal difference.

But though the Saints won at Wimbledon, Blackburn were beaten and the Ewood Park club can no longer overtake Gordon Strachan's men.

Coventry will now see in the new Millennium as a Premiership club, having been in the top flight since 1967-68 - an unbroken run bettered only by Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool.

Their side's survival should not be cause for too much celebration among the Highfield Road faithful, though, especially after this afternoon's vapid display.

Derby, apart from the occasional flash of invention from Dean Sturridge, were not that impressive but Coventry were woeful for much of the match, with Gary McAllister's promptings from midfield failing to create a goal.

Even Sky Blues boss Strachan, normally so demonstrative on the touchline, seemed more subdued than usual, though he did have to be spoken to by fourth official Rob Harris for protesting against Marc Edworthy's booking.

The right-back was shown the yellow card by referee Paul Alcock for diving in the Derby area after being challenged by Adam Murray and Strachan was furious his side had not been given a spot-kick, with the caution adding insult to injury.

It said much about Coventry's performance today that a penalty looked about the only way they could score, with Mart Poom enjoying a relatively untroubled 90 minutes in the Rams goal.

He had one scare when he flapped at McAllister's cross but Noel Whelan could not get his head to the ball at the back post, while the striker wasted a superb opportunity when he miskicked 20 yards out with only Poom to beat.

Whelan later had a chip comfortably saved by the Estonian as the former Leeds man, whose strike partner Darren Huckerby had a poor game, posed the greatest threat to the hosts.

If either side deserved to win it was Derby but they too hardly covered themselves in glory during a match which bore all the hallmarks of a tame end-of-season affair.

Mikkel Beck and Paulo Wanchope both fired over from six yards after good work from the lively Dean Sturridge, while Magnus Hedman had to deny Darryl Powell at the start of the first half and the keeper also had to tip the ball over after Paul Telfer had inadvertently headed Stefano Eranio's free-kick goalwards.

The Rams, with their three forwards occasionally linking up well, were unfortunate not to lead early on but time and again after the interval their attacks floundered due to the lack of a penetrating final ball.

Adam Murray, a 17-year-old midfielder who came off the bench at the break, had their best effort of the second half, letting fly with a 15-yard volley from which Hedman produced the save of the match, flinging himself to his right and palming the ball away.

Kevin Harper only came on for the final 12 minutes but he almost won the game for Derby, with Sturridge inches away from getting a touch to the Scot's low cross as he slid in at the far post.

Gary Breen then made a last-ditch tackle to keep out Carbonari's late effort with Hedman stranded and the Rams' final home game of the season finished goalless.

Teams:

Derby: Poom, Carbonari, Prior, Laursen, Delap (Harper 78), Eranio, Powell, Schnoor, Beck (Baiano 58), Sturridge, Wanchope, Baiano (Murray 46).

Subs Not Used: Hoult, Jackson.

Booked: Powell.

Coventry: Hedman, Edworthy, Shaw, Breen, Hall, Telfer, Soltvedt, McAllister, Boateng, Huckerby (Aloisi 87), Whelan.

Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Clement, Williams, Nilsson.

Booked: Edworthy.

Att: 32,450

Ref: P Allcock (Surrey).