Maddison steers Tottenham to first league win with stunning goal after 18 months

James Maddison needed just fourteen minutes to remind everyone what Tottenham had been missing. Making his first start since May 2025, the midfielder produced a stunning strike from twenty yards that set Spurs on their way to a 3-1 win over Coventry City and handed Roberto De Zerbi his first league victory of the campaign.

• James Maddison started for Tottenham for the first time in 18 months and opened the scoring with a superb goal.
• Tottenham claimed their first Premier League win of the season and moved off the bottom of the table.
• Dejan Kulusevski returned to action after 526 days out with a knee injury.
• Omar Marmoush scored his first goal for Tottenham and Ben Davies wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
• Next up: a trip to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Maddison's wonder goal ends Tottenham's long wait

Maddison looked ready from the moment he warmed up, barely able to hide a smile before kick-off. In the 14th minute, he took a pass from Mohammed Kudus in his stride and sent a curling right-footed finish beyond Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. It was the kind of quality that had been absent from Tottenham's play for far too long.

The goal came against his former club, but Maddison made no attempt to hide his feelings. He celebrated with his trademark imaginary dart throw and then kissed the Tottenham badge on his shirt. The moment carried enormous personal weight: he missed most of the previous campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in pre-season, and then fractured his shoulder in the opening-weekend defeat at Brentford.

Tottenham's record without Maddison makes grim reading

The numbers explain Maddison's importance. Since his last top-flight goal, a 1-0 win against Manchester United in February 2025, Tottenham had won only twelve of 57 Premier League matches, averaging less than a point per game. Since his last start at Liverpool in April 2025, the side had managed just eleven wins and 23 defeats in 49 league outings.

The win over Coventry was not a polished performance. It was only Tottenham's sixth victory in their last 37 home league games, a run featuring ten draws and 21 losses. It was also the first time they had scored three or more home league goals since the opening day of the previous season, when they beat Burnley 3-0 in Thomas Frank's first game in charge.

Coventry fight back before Spurs pull clear

Coventry refused to go quietly. Jack Rudoni equalised to keep the visitors in the contest, leaving Tottenham's nerves visible around the stadium. Omar Marmoush restored the lead with a beautifully curled effort for his first goal in a Spurs shirt, and Ben Davies added a late third after a costly error from Rushworth in stoppage time.

De Zerbi admitted there is still a lack of confidence in his squad, and the final margin was flattering. Tottenham have won only four league matches in 2026, drawing ten and losing thirteen of their 27 fixtures, but this victory at least gave the team something tangible to build on.

Kulusevski returns after 526 days out

The night produced another long-awaited comeback. Dejan Kulusevski came on in the 87th minute to replace Kudus, ending a 526-day absence caused by a serious knee injury. The ovation that greeted him was arguably even louder than the one Maddison received when he was substituted in the 69th minute.

Maddison spoke to Sky Sports after the match and explained how he had approached the return. He discussed the situation with the manager over the weekend and felt it was the right time to go back into the starting eleven after a stop-start beginning to the season. He wanted to show the qualities Tottenham had been missing for eighteen months, and his goal capped a performance full of clever touches and positive intent.

I just wanted to play well and show my abilities, show what the team has missed the last 18 months. The gaffer asked me to play and wanted to enjoy watching from the side. Hopefully I did that, and a goal is always nice.

What Tottenham face next at Chelsea

De Zerbi refused to get carried away. Tottenham still need to build confidence, and Saturday's trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, kicking off at 17:30 local time, will be a serious test. The manager welcomed the return of Maddison and Kulusevski, noting that their different talents and personalities bring a different atmosphere to the dressing room.

Marmoush will also take encouragement from his goal, a candidate for the best of the night alongside Maddison's opener. His strike gave Rushworth no chance and offered a glimpse of what the forward can provide. Most importantly, Tottenham finally have a league win to celebrate.

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