James Maddison scored a brilliant strike on his first start in 18 months as Tottenham beat Coventry City to claim their first Premier League win of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosted Tottenham's first Premier League victory of the season as they squeezed past Coventry City. James Maddison, making his first start for 18 months, produced a brilliant strike and was the standout performer with a rating of 8. Ben Davies came off the bench to seal the win with a goal.

  • Competition: Premier League
  • Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • Result: Tottenham beat Coventry City to end winless start
  • Star performer: James Maddison (8/10) on his first start for 18 months
  • Also on target: Omar Marmoush and substitute Ben Davies
  • At stake: Tottenham's first Premier League win of the season

Confirmed line-ups

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3)

Starting XI: Antonin Kinsky; Tosin Adarabioyo, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Andrew Robertson; Archie Gray, Sandro Tonali, James Maddison; Mohammed Kudus, Omar Marmoush, Dominic Solanke

Substitutes: Conor Gallagher, Mateus Fernandes, Ben Davies, Mathys Tel, Dejan Kulusevski, Dubravka, Senesi, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett

Coventry City (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Carl Rushworth; Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Ethan Pinnock, Jay Dasilva; Caleb Yirenkyi, Matt Grimes; Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jack Rudoni, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto; Sidiki Cherif

Substitutes: Frank Onyeka, Taiwo Awoniyi, Ephron Mason-Clark, Gustavo Hamer, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Bentley, Simms, Mfuni, Torp

Selection notes

James Maddison made his first start for 18 months and revelled in his return to the starting line-up until understandably tiring. Tosin Adarabioyo went off injured, as did Andrew Robertson. Conor Gallagher, Mateus Fernandes and Ben Davies came on for Maddison, Tosin and Robertson on 69 minutes. Mathys Tel and Dejan Kulusevski replaced Omar Marmoush and Mohammed Kudus on 87 minutes.

The numbers

  • James Maddison: 8/10
  • Micky van de Ven: 7/10
  • Ben Davies: 6/10
  • Bobby Thomas: 7/10
  • Jack Rudoni: 7/10

Why Maddison's return transforms Tottenham's attack

James Maddison was the architect of Tottenham's first Premier League win of the season. His brilliant strike capped a performance full of prompting and probing, and he revelled in his return to the starting line-up until understandably tiring. The 8/10 rating reflects his influence in a game where Tottenham needed creativity.

Omar Marmoush had struggled but then scored a superb goal, while Ben Davies came off the bench to seal the win. Tottenham's midfield trio of Archie Gray, Sandro Tonali and Maddison provided the creative edge, though Tonali still struggles to justify his £100m price tag. At the back, Micky van de Ven produced a superb tackle to deny Brandon Thomas-Asante and was solid all-round.

Coventry's goal came from Jack Rudoni, who showed great determination to bustle his way through. Bobby Thomas was a tower of strength in defence, but Carl Rushworth had a horror show for Tottenham's third goal from Ben Davies. The Sky Blues were well-organised but ultimately undone by Maddison's quality and Tottenham's superior finishing.

Talking points

  • Should Maddison start every game now? His 8/10 performance suggests he must, but can he sustain it after 18 months out?
  • Sandro Tonali's £100m price tag looks heavy – he showed only occasional flashes and needs to produce more.
  • Tottenham's defence conceded again and lost Tosin and Robertson to injury – is the squad deep enough?
  • Ben Davies proved his worth off the bench with a goal – should he start ahead of the injured Robertson?

What happens next

Tottenham will look to build on their first Premier League win of the season when they face their next fixture. Coventry City will aim to bounce back from this defeat. The injury status of Tosin Adarabioyo and Andrew Robertson will be assessed ahead of the next game.

Frequently asked questions

Did James Maddison start for Tottenham vs Coventry?

Yes, James Maddison made his first start for 18 months and scored a brilliant strike.

What was the score between Tottenham and Coventry?

Tottenham beat Coventry City to secure their first Premier League win of the season, with goals from Maddison, Marmoush and Ben Davies.

Who was Tottenham's best player against Coventry?

James Maddison received the highest rating of 8/10 for his performance.

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