Premier League

TOTTENHAM are no longer propping up the table.

A 3-1 victory against Coventry City was just their sixth home win in 37 Premier League attempts, and it was enough to push Roberto De Zerbi’s team up to 16th.

A superb James Maddison first-time strike on 14 minutes set the tone. Coventry equalised on 50, but goals from Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies saw Tottenham record their first league win of the season.

Spurs have had a spluttering start to life under De Zerbi’s tenure, but will be warmed by what was a well-deserved victory using a patched up, three at the back formation.

Speaking afterwards, a clearly thrilled De Zerbi said: “I was happy with the spirit, and the reaction to the goal we conceded.

“Honestly, we didn’t play so well like the last game against Manchester United, when we didn’t win and played better than today.

“Now we have to understand that we are able to win. The mental aspect is crucial. They [the players] have been fantastic, they suffered a lot, we need to improve our confidence and improve our patterns of play, but they are a good team, very good.”

While the fact this was Maddison’s first start for more than 500 days, and Dejan Kulusevski’s first appearance in a match day squad for even longer, De Zerbi’s first three-points of the season did not come with a full pack to choose from.

This was still a side missing Pedro Porro, Savio, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Xavi Simons, Mykhailo Mudryk and the perpetually half-fit Destiny Udogie.

De Zerbi said afterwards he was “very happy” for Maddison and Kulusevski, adding that their inclusion had given their teammates a morale boost. And it was a simply gorgeous Maddison effort on 14 minutes that set Spurs on their way.

Coventry started well, with forward Tatsuhiro Sakamoto twice giving Tottenham early jitters.

At the other end of the pitch, Andy Robertson had frightened the City defence with a low ball in, and when it was recycled moments later, Mohammed Kudus came inside and popped the ball into Maddison’s path. The attacking-midfielder needed no second invite, and curled a wonderful effort right into the top corner. It was a moment of pure magic.

It settled the home side and they pushed on in the first half, with Dominic Solanke firing over, Archie Gray going close, and Kudus a menace.

The break came at a good time for Coventry and Frank Lampard’s side came out and broke Spurs down on 50. Jean-Paul van Hecke ran into trouble. Some poor defending saw the home side guilty of ball watching as possession pinged about the box: Sandro Tonali, who otherwise ran the show, did not react when it fell for Jack Rudoni.

The Coventry midfielder bashed home the equaliser from close range. Tonali, perhaps aware he had let Rudoni get away from him, responded immediately by going close twice as he stepped into positive positions from deep.

Five minutes later, Marmoush tussled his way forward and unleashed a peach to give the home side the lead once more.

De Zerbi saw it out by bringing on the energy of Conor Gallagher and Mateus Fernandes. He also introduced Davies, who made sure of the points by zipping a low shot home from the edge of the box deep into added time.

Tottenham: Kinsky, van Hecke, Adarabioyo (Fernandes, 71), van de Ven, Kudus, Robertson (Davies, 69), Tonali, Gray, Maddison (Gallagher, 69), Marmoush (Tel, 87), Solanke
Substitutes not used: Dubravka, Senesi, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett

Coventry City: Rushworth, van Ewijk, Thomas, Pinnock, Dasilva, Yirenkyi (Onyeka, 60), Grimes, Sakamoto (Hamer, 78), Rudoni, Thomas-Asante (Mason-Clark, 78), Cherif (Awoniyi, 60)
Substitutes not used: Bentley, Simms, Mfuni, Torp