Kulusevski returns as Spurs get first Premier League win of season

Tottenham climbed off the bottom of the Premier League after James Maddison's superb 14th-minute opener inspired a 3-1 home win over Coventry City on Monday.

>It was a night to savour for both Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, who made his first appearance in 526 days after a 17-month absence with a patella injury.

>Roberto De Zerbi gave Maddison the nod against his boyhood club and Spurs' No. 10 responded with a stunning curled effort from 22 yards before Coventry levelled four minutes into the second half through Jack Rudoni.

>Omar Marmoush responded with his first goal for Tottenham with 58 minutes played and after Kulusevski was introduced to thunderous applause, a nervy finale was avoided when long-serving defender Ben Davies watched his scuffed effort beat Carl Rushworth in stoppage time.

>It ensured Spurs claimed a first top-flight win of the season at the seventh time of asking and only a fourth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since Kulusevski and Maddison were injured in May 2025.

>Spurs started bottom and without four players from the 1-1 draw at Manchester United, but De Zerbi was boosted with Maddison able to make a first start in 536 days and Kulusevski included in the matchday squad after an equally torrid time out.

>Yet the hosts almost went behind after 11 seconds, with Antonín Kinsky denying Brandon Thomas-Asante from a tight angle.

>After a midweek trip to Marbella, Spurs started like they were still on the beach with Kinsky fortunate to save Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's cross before the same player had a shot deflected over by Micky van de Ven.

>With De Zerbi's team requiring a spark, Maddison produced a moment to savour against his old club in the 14th minute.

>Not long after a clever dummy, Maddison sent a curled first-time effort over Rushworth and into the top corner to put Tottenham ahead in the Premier League for the first time this season.

>Maddison's trademark darts celebration followed before Dominic Solanke had the ball in the net, but it was quickly followed by the offside flag.

>Coventry remained a threat with Sidiki Cherif thwarted by a Jan Paul van Hecke block, before Maddison had a shot headed clear and Solanke fired over.

>There was still time for Thomas-Asante to get in behind Spurs' defence, only for Van de Ven to produce a superb last-ditch tackle to ensure it was 1-0 at the break.

>Four minutes after half-time and Coventry levelled through Rudoni after a catalogue of errors by Tottenham.

>Van Hecke firstly gave the ball away and set Coventry on the counter-attack before Rudoni's effort was blocked by Asante-Thomas. But Sandro Tonali and Tosin Adarabioyo reacted slowly and Coventry midfielder Rudoni's follow-up was too strong for the weak hand of Kinsky.

>De Zerbi watched his team react well with Tonali sending two efforts over before Marmoush put a lacklustre first half behind him with a maiden Spurs goal.

>The Egyptian brushed off Milan van Ewijk, who went down, before the Manchester City loanee found the bottom corner with a strike too powerful for Rushworth.

>Tottenham lost Andy Robertson and Adarabioyo to injuries before Marmoush went down, which was followed by Kulusevski's comeback in the 87th minute.

>His first two touches were met with enormous cheers and the decibel levels increased when Davies' low effort beat Rushworth to get Spurs off the mark this season.