Premier LeagueOctober 19, 20263 min readBy Peter OlaleruEditor & Founder

Spurs Name Robertson and Gray as Coventry Chase a Third Straight Win

Tottenham and Coventry both name 4-2-3-1 lineups. Spurs winless on three points; Coventry chase a third straight win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Coventry City
Premier League
October 19, 2026
LIVE
1-0
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City have confirmed their starting XIs for Monday night's Premier League fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and both managers have landed on the same structure: a 4-2-3-1 for each side.

The team sheets settle the shape question before a ball is kicked. Spurs set up with a back four screened by a double pivot, three attacking midfielders beneath a lone centre-forward. Coventry match them line for line in the same 4-2-3-1, which puts the emphasis on which midfield pair can control the central lane and which front four can find separation between the lines.

Robertson and Gray Start as Spurs Chase a First Win

Andrew Robertson and Archie Gray both start for Tottenham, and their inclusion shapes how the home side will build. Robertson gives Spurs a natural left-sided outlet in the back line, while Gray's versatility lets the midfield rotate without changing the printed formation. Antonín Kinský starts in goal behind them.

The stakes are stark for the hosts. Spurs arrive winless, with three points from six league games — three draws and three defeats. A seventh match without a win would leave them rooted near the bottom of the table and heap pressure on a squad still searching for its first league victory of the season.

Coventry, by contrast, travel to north London on six points after back-to-back league wins. The newly promoted side have already doubled Spurs' points tally and can move further clear with a result at a ground where the home crowd is waiting for something to cheer.

Coventry's Front Line Meets a Spurs Back Four

Bobby Thomas and Brandon Thomas Asante are the Coventry names to track. Thomas anchors the visitors' defensive line in the 4-2-3-1, while Thomas Asante gives them a focal point in the attacking third. If Coventry's double pivot can spring him early, Spurs' back four will be tested in transition.

The mirror shapes create a simple tactical puzzle. With both teams fielding two holding midfielders, the space between the lines belongs to whoever's attacking three drifts inside first. Spurs will look to Robertson to stretch Coventry on the left and open that central channel; Coventry will look to their own wide runners to pin Spurs' full-backs and isolate Thomas Asante against a centre-back.

Kick-off is set for 7:00 PM UTC. Spurs need a win to stop the slide. Coventry need one to keep a surprising early-season run rolling.

Sources

  1. [1]FotMob
  2. [2]ESPN
  3. [3]Photo: Arne Müseler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, cropped
Peter Olaleru

Editor & Founder

Peter Olaleru

Peter is the founder and editor of Measured Take and a cybersecurity professional. He leads our news, fact checks, sport and guides from around the world, with a particular eye on cyber attacks, data breaches, scams, AI and misinformation.

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