Kyle Lightbourne has no complaints with the way things are going for him at his new club Coventry City, even though his play in the English Premier League has been limited to three appearances as substitute in the four matches so far.

Lightbourne knows that he will have to wait for his opportunity. But with so many games coming up -- beginning with today's match against league champions Manchester United -- the 28-year-old Bermudian striker knows that eventually his chance will come.

"The two front players, Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby, have both had good starts to the season,'' said Lightbourne.

"Dion has scored three goals and Darren two so I have no complaints, I just have to get on with it and take my opportunity when it comes. I don't want anyone to get injured but injuries happen and you just have to be ready for the opportunity.

"I knew this was the way it was going to be from the beginning and I just have to be patient. I feel I still have a big part to play, I could come on, score a goal and it could go from there.'' Lightbourne will be in one of the biggest matches of his career today when Coventry visit Old Trafford. It is one of the most famous grounds in England and seats about 50,000.

"I'm just looking forward to the occasion and will try to take it all in,'' said Lightbourne, who averaged a goal every two-and-a-half games for Second Division Walsall, with whom he played the last three seasons.

"For anyone who plays at Manchester United it's a difficult game. They are undefeated and it's going to be a really tough game for us. Most of the grounds in the Premier League are new to me.'' The striker has found a big difference in the standard of play in the Premier League compared to the Second Division.

"When I was playing in Divisions Two and Three they used to say that the higher you go the more time you get (on the ball) but it doesn't seem like that,'' said Lightbourne.

"If anything you get less time and that's the difference that I've found.

Your ability on the ball shows at this level. You have to protect the ball a bit more because players close you down a bit quicker.

"In the last two seasons it's been a slow start for me but hopefully things will soon start to fall into place.'' Lightbourne has already been rubbing shoulders with some of the big names in the English game in matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Bolton and West Ham. On Wednesday night he came up against Rio Ferdinand, the 18-year-old West Ham defender who has already been rated as the club's finest defender since former England captain Bobby Moore.

"He looks like a really good player,'' said Lightbourne, who came on as a sub for the last 15 minutes. "I was very impressed with him on Wednesday night.'' With no reserve team matches lately, Lightbourne has not had a full match in a couple of weeks. To maintain his level of fitness he has been doing extra training on his own.

"I just spend a little time after training by myself and do a little bit of extra work,'' he explained. "I'm not playing much games and I want to keep myself in tip top shape.

"You have to really work hard to stay at this level and I want to play at this level for as long as possible and try to make a name for myself.'' The other Bermudian in England, Shawn Goater, will be looking forward to the second round of the League Cup as Bristol City have been drawn away to Leeds United in the first leg on the week of September 15. Coventry are away to Blackpool in the first leg of their tie.

It was at Elland Road that Lightbourne, then playing for Walsall against Leeds in the FA Cup, was first noticed by his manager Gordon Strachan who was player-coach at Leeds at the time. Strachan kept interest in Lightbourne when he took over as manager of Coventry and recently signed him for 500,000.

HOLY GROUND -- Bermuda's Kyle Lightbourne (inset) makes his first trip to Old Trafford today when his Coventry City team meet Ryan Giggs (right, in action on Wednesday) and Manchester United.

KYLE LIGHTBOURNE