Tottenham 3-1 Coventry: Maddison, Marmoush and Davies end Spurs' winless start

James Maddison marked his first competitive start since May 2025 with a stunning opener against his former club as Tottenham Hotspur beat Coventry City 3-1 on Monday night for their first Premier League win of the season. Omar Marmoush restored the lead after Jack Rudoni's equaliser, and substitute Ben Davies settled it deep into stoppage time.

There was another lift for Roberto De Zerbi's side as Dejan Kulusevski came off the bench for his first appearance in 526 days after a knee injury in May 2025.

Match facts

• Result: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Coventry City (half-time 1-0)
• Competition: Premier League, Matchweek 7
• Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
• Scorers: Tottenham - Maddison 14', Marmoush 58', Davies 90+6'; Coventry - Rudoni 49'
• Assists: Tottenham - Mohammed Kudus (14'), Andy Robertson (58'), Dominic Solanke (90+6'); Coventry - Brandon Thomas-Asante (49')
• Attendance: 60,913
• Red cards: None
• Next: Chelsea v Tottenham, Saturday 24 October; Coventry v Fulham, Saturday 24 October

How the match unfolded

Coventry started brightly, with Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's early shot deflected behind, but Spurs, set up in a back three with Kudus at wing-back, led in the 14th minute. Kudus beat Jay Dasilva and cut the ball back, and Maddison curled a first-time shot from outside the box into the top corner. It was his first goal since the Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt on 1 May 2025.

Four minutes later Solanke turned in Robertson's cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Caleb Yirenkyi and Solanke were booked in quick succession, Micky van de Ven made a vital block to deny Thomas-Asante, and Dasilva was cautioned in first-half stoppage time for fouling Kudus. Coventry did not manage a shot on target before the interval.

Sandro Tonali told Sky Sports at half-time that "one nil is not enough for us", and Coventry proved him right four minutes after the restart. Jan Paul van Hecke lost the ball in midfield, Rudoni raced down the left and exchanged passes with Yirenkyi, and when his first shot struck Thomas-Asante, he reacted quickest to drive the rebound past Antonín Kinský.

Spurs went back in front in the 58th minute. Marmoush took Robertson's pass, turned past Milan van Ewijk and hammered a fierce shot into the far corner for his first goal since joining on loan from Manchester City. Coventry were furious because Marmoush's elbow had caught Van Ewijk in the face, but referee Andy Madley let play go on and VAR Paul Tierney did not intervene.

Frank Lampard sent on Taiwo Awoniyi and Frank Onyeka on the hour. After 69 minutes Davies replaced Robertson and Conor Gallagher came on for Maddison, who left to a standing ovation, and Mateus Fernandes replaced Tosin Adarabioyo two minutes later. BBC Sport reported that Robertson and Adarabioyo were both injured. Kulusevski replaced Kudus in the 87th minute to one of the loudest cheers of the night, and Mathys Tel came on for Marmoush.

Eight minutes were added. Tel curled wide, and in the sixth minute of stoppage time Coventry failed to clear, Solanke nudged the ball to Davies and his low strike from outside the area, hit with the outside of his left foot, squeezed past Carl Rushworth.

What it means

Tottenham had drawn three and lost three of their first six league games, the last of them a 1-1 draw at Manchester United secured by Solanke's late header. This win lifts them from the bottom of the table to 16th, level with Coventry on six points but ahead on goal difference.

Coventry had arrived on the back of wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, whom they beat 4-1 at home, and Rudoni has now scored in consecutive league games. Lampard's side drop to 17th.

What's next

Tottenham go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday 24 October (17:30 UK) to face Chelsea, who won 2-0 at Everton on 17 October. Coventry host Fulham at the Coventry Building Society Arena earlier that day (15:00 UK).

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