Maddison marks first start in 18 months with brilliant strike as Tottenham beat Coventry
James Maddison scored a brilliant goal on his first start in 18 months and Ben Davies added a late third as Tottenham secured their first Premier League win of the season against Coventry City.
Tottenham claimed their first Premier League victory of the season against Coventry City, with James Maddison marking his first start in 18 months by scoring a brilliant strike. Maddison was rated 8 in the player assessments, the highest of any Spurs player, and was described as always prompting and probing before understandably tiring on his return to the starting line-up.
Ben Davies, brought on in the 69th minute for Andrew Robertson, sealed the win with a goal, though Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth was heavily criticised for that third goal. Omar Marmoush also scored what was called a superb goal after a difficult spell, while Coventry's Jack Rudoni showed great determination to bustle his way through for his side's goal.
Tottenham's defensive display drew mixed reviews. Micky van de Ven earned a 7 for a superb first-half tackle that denied Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Tosin Adarabioyo was rated 6 for his physical presence in the air before going off injured. Jan Paul van Hecke had a disappointing night, losing possession for Coventry's goal. Sandro Tonali received a 6, with the assessment saying he still struggles to justify his £100m price tag, and Mohammed Kudus was also rated 5 for a mixed night short of end product.
For Coventry, Bobby Thomas was a tower of strength in defence and earned a 7, while Ethan Pinnock was described as dependable as the visitors looked solid and well-organised at the back. Milan van Ewijk's long throws were a threat, particularly in the first half. Caleb Yirenkyi and Matt Grimes were each rated 5, and substitutes Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi were judged to have had little effect.
The ratings reflect contrasting fortunes: Maddison's return and Davies' late goal gave Tottenham the decisive moments, while Coventry's organisation at the back was undermined by the error for the third goal. Supporters were invited to submit their own scores for the players, but those fan ratings are not included in the assessments above.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
