James Maddison marked his first Tottenham Hotspur start in nearly 18 months with a magnificent curling goal as Spurs secured a 3-1 victory over Coventry — their first Premier League win of the season — and lifted themselves off the foot of the table.

The 29-year-old playmaker, returning from a lengthy ACL recovery that had kept him sidelined through a brutal sequence of setbacks, opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Collecting a pass from Mohammed Kudus, Maddison bent a precise effort into the top corner from range and set Roberto De Zerbi's side on a course they would not be knocked off.

A goal that meant everything

Maddison's last competitive start had come in May 2025 under former manager Ange Postecoglou. In his absence, Spurs narrowly avoided relegation last season before splashing £334 million on new signings over the summer — a rebuild that had yet to click until Monday night.