Tottenham Hotspur vs Coventry Predictions

• Both teams have failed to score in four of Spurs’ first six Premier League games
• Both teams have failed to score in five of Coventry’s first six Premier League games
• The Sky Blues have conceded only once in their last two away trips to Nottingham Forest and Man City

Spurs and Sky Blues set to scrap it out

One or both of the teams could find scoring difficult at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday when second-bottom Spurs entertain a Coventry side on the improve.

The Sky Blues’ Premier League outlook now looks a bit brighter than it did after their awful August as wins against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle have seen Frank Lampard’s men move up to 14th in the table. The 1-0 road win at the City Ground is the likely blueprint for this trip to North London, where Spurs have struggled to perform or penetrate opposition defences so far this term.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men did show plenty of fight and quality at Old Trafford last Saturday with Dominic Solanke’s late leveller snatching a deserved point with 10 men. They will miss suspended Rodrigo Bentancur’s qualities in midfield but Solanke’s aerial ability and hold-up play will come in useful again if he can stay fit.

Tottenham tend to leave it late

Spurs need to start fast and ideally get in front before the moans, groans and occasional boos ring out at their impressive stadium. They still haven’t scored a first-half Premier League goal this term with all three of their strikes in that competition coming after the 85th minute.

Coventry earned their first lead of the campaign at Forest and impressively saw it out in the second half when the hosts piled on the pressure. Likewise, they didn’t look back after hitting the front at home to Newcastle, going 2-0 up and finishing 4-1 winners.

The first goal on Monday will be crucial and whoever gets it should have a great chance of going on to get all three points. Lampard’s side have taken a bit longer to adapt to this level than their fellow promoted sides because it has meant a bigger shift in mindset for a side used to dominating and scoring plenty of Championship goals.

Coventry unlikely to capitulate

However, they seem tougher to break down than in the first few weeks of the season and will be happy to sit in and frustrate their hosts on Monday. Back both teams to score ‘no’ here, which has been regularly landing in both sides’ league matches.

Spurs may be able to pull a late rabbit out of the hat to claim all three points, but it’s hard to see them running away with it or Coventry capitulating completely. So a 1-0 correct score play offers a good way in while Solanke’s penalty-area presence makes him the best anytime goalscorer shout of the lot.