PREMIER LEAGUE
MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER, 2026
8 PM
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(1) COVENTRY 1(0)

Spurs scorers:-
Maddison, 14
Marmoush, 58
Davies, 90(+6)

Coventry scorer:-
Rudoni, 49

Attendance:- 60,913

Referee:- Andy Madley
Assistants:- Nick Hopton, Craig Taylor
Fourth official:- Tom Bramall
VAR:- Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR:- Steven Meredith

Teams:-
Spurs (3-1-4-2):- 31. Kinsky; 6. Van Hecke, 4. Tosin (sub 18. Fernandes, 71), 37. Van de Ven (Capt.); 16. Tonali; 20. Kudus (sub 21. Kulusevski, 87), 14. Gray, 10. Maddison (sub 8. Gallagher, 69), 3. Robertson (sub 33. Davies, 69); 19. Solanke, 22. Marmoush (sub 11. Tel, 87)

Subs not used:- 39. Dubravka; 5. Senesi; 52. Olusesi; 68. Williams-Barnett

Booked:- Solanke (foul on Thomas-Asante)

Coventry (4-2-3-1):- 19. Rushworth; 27. Van Ewik, 4. Thomas, 2. Pinnock, 3. Dasilva; 8. Yirenkyi (sub 16. Onyeka, 60), 6. Grimes (Capt.); 7. Sakamoto (sub 38. Hamer, 78), 5. Rudoni (sub 20. Kesler-Hayden, 87), 23. Thomas-Asante (sub 10. Mason-Clark, 78); 49. Cherif (sub 14. Awoniyi, 60)

Subs not used:- 25. Bentley; 12. Mfuni; 29. Torp; 9. Simms

Booked:- Yirenkyi (foul on Gray), Dasilva (foul on Kudus), Rudoni (foul on Tonali)

A night of firsts for Spurs

It was a Monday night of firsts for Spurs. It was, of course, our first Premier League win of the season (at the seventh attempt), and enough to lift us off the bottom and into 16th place. James Maddison got us on the road to victory with his first goal for the club since his last competitive start against Bodo/Glimt on May 1st last year. It was James' first league goal since a 1-0 home win over Manchester United on 16th February, 2025.

Omar Marmoush scored his first goal for the club, and Ben Davies secured the win with a 96th minute goal. That was Ben's 9th Premier League goal for the club this season and his first in the competition since January.

This was also the first time this season that we have scored in the first half of a Premier League match, and our first three-goal haul in the league since last October, away to Everton.

The most significant first was the return to action of Dejan Kulusevski, after 526 days out of action since May 11th last year. "Deki" was cheered loudly when he warmed up down the touchline and given a roaring reception when he replaced Mohammed Kudus in the 87th minute.

Our first two goals were first class, but the same cannot be said of our performance. The win was not properly secured until Ben Davies' low shot slipped beneath Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth's dive.

Coventry are a lively team and arrived at Tottenham full of confidence following two consecutive wins. Roberto de Zerbi rang the changes, both in formation and personnel. He played a back three which included Tosin Adarabioyo between Van Hecke and Van de Ven. Sandro Tonali played behind the midfield four and Marmoush partnered Solanke. Destiny Udogie was absent from the squad, apparently with a minor knee issue.

Both teams huddled before kick-off. Coventry wore an all pink strip. They kicked off and played towards the South Stand. Most of the Coventry players formed a line at the half-way point and then raced forward for goalkeeper Rushworth's kick. Brandon Thomas-Asante hit an early shot wide after Cherif headed a pass. Micky van de Ven made an early vital tackle to clear more danger.

James Maddison was booed vigorously by the Coventry fans with every touch. They obviously haven't forgiven him for leaving the club in February 2016.

Andy Robertson overhit a cross after approach play by Maddison and Solanke. Spurs were certainly offering plenty of energy up and down the pitch, if not always executing their passes too well.

Coventry had an early free kick and a shot by Thomas-Asante, which was half-blocked and fell into Kinsky's hands. Another Coventry attack down the right channel led to a shot by Sakamoto, which was also picked up by Kinsky.

Maddison and Solanke combined before Solanke's shot was blocked. Marmoush fed the ball to Robertson, whose cross/shot was held by the keeper. Then came Maddison's gem of a goal. Kudus had passed the ball towards the right of the area and James hit a curving right-footed shot beyond Rushworth's reach into the far corner of the net. It was our best goal of the season so far! Since making his Premier League debut in August 2018, Maddison has scored 21 goals from outside the box at least two more than any other player. (Kevin Du Bruyne and James Ward-Prowse are next with 19 each). Naturally, James celebrated with gusto!

Spurs had the ball in the net again soon after when Solanke converted Robertson's cross, but the Scottish captain had clearly been offside when receiving the pass.

On the half-hour, after a corner on the left, Maddison hit a deep cross/shot which passed the far post with Tosin trying to reach the ball. Cherif had a shot blocked after a Coventry corner from the right. Maddison had a shot blocked after Tonali's pass. Another good short pass by Tonali found Solanke, who shot on the turn, but his left-footed effort flew over the bar.

Former Coventry, Spurs and Eire footballer Jimmy Holmes was interviewed at half-time. Jimmy's son spoke for his Dad most of the time as 72-year-old Jimmy's memory is fading.

Coventry levelled the score five minutes into the second half through Jack Rudoni. A Van Hecke pass had failed and given the visitors a chance to break forward. Rudoni's one-two with Thomas-Asante paid off and the 26-year-old midfielder squeezed a shot low past Kinsky. All the old Spurs fears were rising.

After a Spurs corner on the right and a good low cross by Kudus from the bye-line, Tonali blasted a shot over the bar. Rushworth nearly spilled a Marmoush shot shortly after. Tonali hit another shot over the target after Van Hecke had sent Solanke away down the right channel.

We regained the lead with another cracking goal. Robertson had passed inside before Marmoush muscled out his marker before hitting a super right-footed shot past the goalkeeper's left hand into the far corner. Coventry wanted a foul, but VAR supported referee Andy Madley's decision to award the goal. Lampard made his first changes.

Solanke had another shot blocked after Van Hecke's pass. De Zerbi brought on Davies for Robertson and Gallagher for Maddison, reverting to a 4-4-1-1 formation, after Fernandes replaced Tosin.

Kudus fired over after Archie Gray's pass and a Fernandes effort was comfortably held.

Those big cheers greeted "Deki" when he came on with Tel, who replaced Marmoush. Deki chased a ball down the right but hit a long cross. Tel had a moment too before he also hit a shot off target. It was a Tel cross which was knocked down to Ben Davies' feet, and he made it 3-1 with that low shot.

Prior to last night Spurs were the only team in the top seven divisions of English football still to win a game this season.

Next up is the trip to Chelsea on Saturday tea-time. We've won once at Stamford Bridge in 34 league visits. We'll stand more chance of adding to our points tally a week on Saturday against Palace.

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