Maddison’s return inspires Tottenham to 3-1 Premier League win over Coventry

Tottenham Hotspur beat Coventry City 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League on Friday (October 23), securing their first win of the season and moving off the bottom of the table.

James Maddison made a first start in 536 days after missing all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and produced the match’s opening goal; he said, “I can't really describe the feeling when the ball hit the net. Those are the ones that are a bit blurry. They are the ones you dream of during those dark days with the ACL. I just wanted to show my quality and show what the team's missed in the last 18 months since my last start.” Spurs had lost three and drawn three before the game, and there had been concern they could repeat last season’s relegation scare when they escaped on the final day.

Fourteen minutes into the match Maddison put Tottenham ahead with a curving strike into the top corner that against his boyhood club put Spurs in the driving seat.

Coventry levelled four minutes into the second half through Jack Rudoni; goalkeeper Antonín Kinský got a hand on his close-range shot but could not stop it squirming into the net.

Omar Marmoush restored Tottenham’s lead with a curling finish, his first goal for the club since signing from Manchester City in the summer.

Ben Davies sealed the victory with a low drive in the sixth minute of added time, a strike that relieved the tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Coventry manager Frank Lampard said, “I'm very disappointed. I thought we were really good in our performance, which is hard to say after a 3-1 defeat. The third goal is a mistake, but it distorts the picture of the game. The players showed a belief and we were a threat until the end.” The report noted the long-awaited win will not allay those fears but the grit involved against a plucky Coventry will give Spurs fans hope the season can now kick on.

The result lifted Tottenham four places to 16th in the Premier League standings, with Coventry one place behind.