Maddison earns top BBC rating after scoring on Tottenham return

James Maddison received the BBC’s highest Tottenham rating after scoring on his first start in more than a year, as Spurs beat Coventry City 3-1 on 19 October to claim their first Premier League win of the season. [1][2]

BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty gave Maddison 8 out of 10, praising his goal and his prompting play before he tired. The midfielder opened the scoring in the 14th minute, curling a first-time shot into the top corner, according to the Premier League match report. [1][3]

Maddison’s return was one of two notable comebacks: Dejan Kulusevski came on late after 526 days away from a Premier League matchday squad. Coventry equalised through Jack Rudoni early in the second half, but Omar Marmoush restored Tottenham’s lead and substitute Ben Davies scored in stoppage time. [1][2]

McNulty rated Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven 7, while Maddison’s fellow goalscorer Marmoush received 6. For Coventry, Rudoni and defender Bobby Thomas were given 7. The scores are McNulty’s assessments, rather than the audience averages gathered through the BBC’s player-rating feature. [3]