An emotional James Maddison said it was like a "dream" to produce a goal and help Tottenham climb off the bottom of the Premier League with a 3-1 home win -- their first of the season in the league -- over Coventry City on Monday.
Maddison marked his first start in 526 days after back-to-back knee injuries with a special strike in the 14th minute after he sent a first-time effort over Carl Rushworth before he marked it with a trademark darts celebration.
Spurs playmaker Maddison was the best player on the pitch during an even first half but Coventry levelled through Jack Rudoni only four minutes into the second period, sparking a frantic period.
Boss Roberto De Zerbi watched Omar Marmoush fire Tottenham back in front with 58 minutes played before Tosin Adarabioyo, Andy Robertson and Marmoush were forced off with issues, allowing Dejan Kulusevski to make his own comeback after 17 months of injury hell.
Kulusevski received a special ovation and minutes later Ben Davies ensured the Swedish attacker would celebrate his comeback with all three points when Davies' scuffed effort beat Rushworth to earn Spurs an overdue first league victory of the campaign.
Maddison, who only returned from anterior cruciate ligament damage last April, said after impressing against his hometown club: "I hoped [to start].
"I spoke to the gaffer about it this week and just feeling like the right moment for me to go back into the starting XI after a stop-start start to the season.
"I just wanted to play well, show my quality and show what the team's missed in the last 18 months, or whatever it is since my last start.
"The gaffer asked me to play and said he wanted to enjoy watching me from the side so hopefully I did that. And obviously a goal like that is always nice."
It was Maddison's first goal since his last start -- a 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the semifinals of the Europa League at the end of the 2024-25 season.
"They're the ones you dream of. Without going too deep into it, them dark days last year, recovering from the ACL, you dream of them moments, them goals and that is the light at the end of the tunnel," Maddison told Sky Sports.
"That is why I was a bit emotional and I felt really proud of Dejan Kulusevski as well because him coming back.
"I knew exactly that feeling of him stepping onto the pitch after that time out, but those moments and goals make it all worth it."
- James Maddison goal, Dejan Kulusevski return brings feel-good factor back to Spurs
- Dejan Kulusevski makes Tottenham return 526 days after suffering knee injury
Coventry boss Frank Lampard was frustrated after a strong performance failed to bring any reward.
"A really good display. 3-1 changes the view at the end of the game, but I thought at 2-1 we were really pushing," Lampard said.
"It takes them two outstanding and world-class players to score their goals.
"[Tottenham] will get better and improve for sure, but when you think that eight of our starting players were in the Championship...
"You wouldn't know which is the team that has been in the Premier League for the last 25 years and who has been out of it."