Key events

Where is the game? Spurs will look to dominate possession, with Gray and Tonali dictating play, so Maddison, Kudus and Marmoush can buzz about behind Solanke. The absence of a proper winger means they’ll probably look to create centrally, Solanke attacking space for little balls in behind, before going wide to put crosses into a well-populated box.

“None of this is De Zerbi’s fault,” reckons Dave Estherby, “yet lose tonight and surely, he’s toast.”

I’m not sure about that. I’m guessing, but I’d be shocked if, when he took the job, he didn’t insist on certain levels of spending and control. On top of which, he picks the team, so I’d say some of their failings can be attributed to him, but I’d be shocked if he gets the flick, even with a defeat tonight. My impression is the board have committed to him and, given the underlying data isn’t terrible, I expect them to stick with their man.

Spurs’ principal problem so far this season has been scoring goals. De Zerbi is famed as Mr Buildup and seems to have inculcated decent method in his charges. But he can’t stick their chances away for them and, in Dominic Solanke, they have a 29-year-old striker who, if we’re being honest, has put together one serious season in his career. I wonder if anyone regrets selling Troy Parrott.

Thinking a little bit more about the Spurs formation, I find it hard to believe De Zerbi sticks Maddison in a two-man midfield – in ant event, but all the more so after so long out. BBC reckon it’ll be 3-4-2-1, but my sense is Tosin plays right-back and has been included to guard against Coventry’s aerial threat.

Email! “Quick point of order about the preamble,” says Kieran McHugh. “Basically correct until the last sentence. As a Spurs fan I can attest that this will not be fun.”

That’s exactly what makes it fun.

I guess it’s possible Spurs stick with four in defence, but it’d mean Tosin playing right-back, which seems unlikely; we shall see.

Just the one change for Coventry, meanwhile: Ephron Mason-Clark drops to the bench, with Tatsuhiro Sakamoto coming in.

Taking a closer look, the headline news for Spurs is that James Maddison makes his first start in 536 days, while Dejan Kulusevski is in the matchday squad for the first time in 526 days. And if we want another number, they’re the only team in the top six divisions yet to have won a game this season.

Otherwise, by the looks of things, Roberto De Zerbi has to three at the back, with Tosin Adarabioyo coming in for his first Premier League start, while Andy Robertson and Omar Marmous also come in; dropping out are Marcos Senesi, the injured Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall, and the also injured Savio.

Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-2-1): Kinsky; Tosin, Van Hecke, Van de Ven; Gray, Tonali;, Maddison, Robertson’ Kudus, Marmoush; Solanke. Subs: Dubravka, Senesi, Gallagher, Tel, Fernandes, Kulusevski, Davies, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett.

Coventry City (4-2-3-1): Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Pinnock, Dasilva, Yirenkyi, Grimes, Rudoni, Sakamoto, Thomas-Asante, Cherif. Subs: Bentley, Simms, Mason-Clark, Mluni, Awoniyi, Onyeka, Kesler-Hayden, Torp, Hamer.

Referee: Andy Madley (Huddersfield)

Sport’s ability to ape and shape the world means it teaches us many things, often in a friendlier environment than real life. It is, for example, better to learn the Australian states and their capitals during an Ashes series than by rote in a geography lesson, just as the accordant failure and disappointment is – ultimately! – less painful to process when it’s happening to yet another bunch of hapless tourists than when it’s happening to us.

Football, though, is a slightly different thing, the constant competition and the way in which teams are passed down through families installing their nature as part of our personalities, both heirloom and genetics. And within that, there’s supporting Tottenham, a relentless barrage of dark nights and false dawns delivering martyrdom to the afflicted and mirth to everyone else.

Even in context, though, a summer spend in excess of £300m, to go from fourth-bottom to bottom, is exceptional behaviour, suggesting a malaise too encoded to alleviate. But it is also the case that their performances have been better than three points from six games suggest – which might be viewed as integral to the nature of it all, or might indicate an imminent upturn.

Tonight’s match will give us a decent idea as to which interpretation is accurate. Coventry – whose fans understand a misery far beyond the conception of Spurs types – arrive in N17 following an uplifting thrashing of Newcastle. As such, they will be confident, physical and beatable or, in other words, exactly the kind of outfit against which Spurs are prone to fail. A win tonight would take Frank Lampard’s men up the table from 16th to 11th but, more than that, with home games against Fulham and Sunderland coming up next, it could set them up for the season. This should be fun…

Kick-off: 8pm BST