Maddison returns to Spurs' starting XI and scores in first win of the season
Tottenham Hotspur beat Coventry City 3-1 in the Premier League to record their first win of the season and leave the bottom of the table. James Maddison scored on his first start in 18 months.
London club Tottenham Hotspur beat Coventry City 3-1 at home in English football's Premier League, taking their first win of the season and moving off the bottom of the table. Midfielder James Maddison returned to the starting line-up after 18 months out and scored, and head coach Roberto de Zerbi hopes the result can kick-start a struggling campaign.
Maddison's return
The 29-year-old missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in pre-season, then fractured his shoulder in the opening-weekend defeat at Brentford this term. Against Coventry he made his first start since the match at Liverpool on 27 April 2025.
In the 14th minute he took a first-time pass from Mohammed Kudus and curled a right-footed shot from 20 yards high past Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. He celebrated with his imaginary dart-throwing routine and kissed the Spurs badge, even though the goal came against his former club.
The numbers show how much Spurs have missed him: since his previous goal, in a 1-0 win over Manchester United in February 2025, they had won only 12 of 57 Premier League games.
How the match unfolded
Jack Rudoni equalised for Coventry, before Omar Marmoush scored his first goal for Spurs. Ben Davies added a third in stoppage time after a serious error by Rushworth. Dejan Kulusevski also came on in the 87th minute as a substitute, returning after 526 days out with a knee injury.
After the game Maddison told Sky Sports he wanted to show what the team had missed over the past 18 months. De Zerbi said the pair change the atmosphere in the dressing room.
Spurs travel to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening for their next league game.
