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Maddison shines as Tottenham finally secure first Premier League win

Summarised from 6 outlets · 13 reports · Updated 19 Oct, 22:44 · Archive

Tottenham claimed their first Premier League win of the season, beating Coventry 3-1 at home with James Maddison scoring on his first start in 536 days.

Tottenham secured their first Premier League win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Coventry City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The result lifted Spurs off the bottom of the table after they had started the night winless across their opening six games.

James Maddison marked his return to the starting line-up with a superb goal in the 14th minute. The midfielder, playing against his boyhood club where his career began, curled a first-time shot from 22 yards into the top corner after receiving a lateral pass from Mohammed Kudus. It was his first Premier League goal in 610 days and his first competitive start for Spurs in 536 days, following a serious knee injury that had been complicated by further setbacks including a hip problem and a shoulder issue.

Maddison's influence extended beyond his opening goal. He displayed the creative intelligence and composure that had been absent from Tottenham's play, linking the squad's attacking pieces and prompting Coventry's defence into difficult decisions with his passing and movement throughout the first half.

Coventry pulled level just four minutes into the second half when Jack Rudoni scored. However, Omar Marmoush restored Tottenham's lead in the 59th minute with a fine strike into the far corner, his first goal since joining on loan from Manchester City. The Guardian reports that Coventry questioned whether Marmoush should have been penalised for an elbow on Milan van Ewijk during the move.

Maddison was withdrawn in the 69th minute after an influential display, having visibly tired. Ben Davies sealed the victory with a scuffed effort that beat Carl Rushworth in stoppage time.

The match also saw the return of Dejan Kulusevski, who came off the bench in the 85th minute after 526 days out with a patella injury. His appearance brought a rapturous reception from the home crowd, as the Swedish winger had not featured since May 2025 and has been significantly missed by Spurs during their poor start to the season.

Roberto De Zerbi had made five changes and switched to a three-at-the-back formation for the match, which came after the squad had spent a week training in Marbella. The manager noted before the game that Maddison would continue to improve as he accumulated more minutes under his belt.

Maddison shines as Tottenham finally secure first Premier League win
Image: Evening Standard

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How it is being reported

In this story: James Maddison · Tottenham Hotspur · Coventry City · Dejan Kulusevski · Roberto De Zerbi · Omar Marmoush · Jack Rudoni · Ben Davies

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