James Maddison says he has “so much more to give” Tottenham after he marked his first start in nearly 18 months with a stunning goal that helped Spurs to their first Premier League win of the season.
The playmaker was influential in the 3-1 victory over Coventry in north London. He opened the scoring with a curling strike from range to set Roberto De Zerbi’s side on their way to a much-needed win, which moves them off the foot of the table.
The 29-year-old has two years to run on his Spurs contract. He first came back toward the end of last season after recovering from his ACL injury, but numerous setbacks delayed his full return until now.
“I have so much more to give for this club,” Maddison said. “I’m 29 and I still have plenty of years left. I have self-belief and plenty of qualities that can help us in this league.”
Maddison wanted to prove he was the missing piece
Spurs spent £334m on new signings in the summer after narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League, but they have struggled to have the desired impact. Maddison wanted to show he was the missing piece of the puzzle when given his chance.
Asked if he thought he could make this type of impact, Maddison said: “I hoped. I spoke to the gaffer [Roberto De Zerbi] about this week and feeling like it was 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 and to show my qualities and what the team has missed in the last 18 months since my last start. The gaffer asked me to play and wanted to enjoy watching me from the side, so hopefully I did that. A goal like that is always nice.”
Carragher backs Maddison to make a big impact
Pundit Jamie Carragher backed Maddison to have a big impact on Spurs’ season when asked if he can be the glue that links the team together.
“I think he is seen as that type of player,” said Carragher. “He’s naturally one of those people in the game who is always laughing and joking, trying to lift people around the dressing room. I think he will have a big impact. He’s captained the club in the past.
“Even though they’ve brought in a lot of attacking talent, he will still think no one’s better than him because he’s that type of character. He has that football arrogance that I like in players.
“It will be interesting to see where he fits in eventually because there are a lot of players at Tottenham in the attacking positions, especially with Kulusevski back.”
A goal worth waiting for
Maddison found the top corner with a precise, curling effort teed up by Mohammed Kudus after just 14 minutes. The goal gave Spurs the start they needed on a tense night in north London, after a dreadful start to the season.
“It was a joy to see [his goal],” said Carragher on Monday Night Football. “He is one of the real characters in the game and you want him around Premier League football.
“That was just a great moment. When you’re a player with an injury like that, there will be a fear: will you ever come back or will you be the same player? There is still a long way to go, but he still has a bit of magic in his boots!”
Maddison’s last competitive start before the Coventry win came in May 2025, when Ange Postecoglou was still in charge of Spurs. The club suffered desperately in the midfielder’s absence and narrowly missed out on relegation last season.
Speaking about his goal, Maddison said: “They are the ones you dream of. Those dark days recovering from the ACL you dream of those moments and those goals. That is always the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kulusevski returns after 526 days
Maddison was not the only feel-good story for Spurs on Monday night. Dejan Kulusevski came off the bench to feature in a competitive game for the first time after 526 days out injured, in an emotional return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“I felt really emotional and proud of Dejan Kulusevski today because I knew exactly that feeling he had stepping back onto the pitch after that amount of time out,” said Maddison. “Those moments and those goals they make it all worth it.”
Can Maddison be the glue for Spurs?
Maddison was the star of the show and a big reason Spurs secured the much-needed win. His goal speaks for itself, but the rest of his play also stood out in a slightly more understated manner.
He dropped deep, found pockets of space, threaded passes for the runs of Dominic Solanke and threatened from the half spaces with his crossing ability.
After all their investment in the summer, Spurs looked disjointed and uninspiring across the opening six games. Maddison looks like the piece that could link the £300m pieces of this Spurs puzzle together, whether through his own finishing or his ability to bring other players into the game.
Keeping him fit and firing is now essential to the club building on this game.