Tottenham Hotspur claimed their first Premier League victory of the season with a 3-1 home win over Coventry City on Monday night. James Maddison opened the scoring with a superb effort from the edge of the box, before Coventry levelled shortly after the interval.
Spurs responded quickly. Summer signing Omar Marmoush restored the lead nine minutes later with another long-range strike, and Ben Davies sealed the points in stoppage time.
Sandro Tonali Impresses in Midfield
Maddison took the headlines after his first league start in almost 18 months, but Sandro Tonali was arguably the most influential presence in the middle of the park.
According to FotMob, the 26-year-old completed 94% of his passes, won six duels, made two tackles and four clearances, and registered seven ball recoveries. It followed a strong display in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
Tonali later shared a celebratory post on Instagram, and defender Tosin Adarabioyo was among those to respond with a short but telling comment of praise.
Chelsea Test Awaits Spurs
Next up is a trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where Roberto De Zerbi’s side face a daunting task. Chelsea have won six consecutive league meetings between the clubs, and the former Newcastle man will need to maintain these standards.
De Zerbi used a 3-4-2-1 shape against Coventry and may stick with it in west London.
Tonali already looks like a leader in this Spurs side. If he can keep dictating the tempo, Tottenham will have a genuine chance of ending that run against their London rivals.