They came to salute the return of Dejan Kulusevski, and they rose to applaud James Maddison as he fired in the goal to finally give Tottenham lift off in this Premier League season.

Two creative forces back in Spurs colours offering hope that things can only get better.

Kulusevski came off the bench in the 87th minute to make his first appearance for close to 18 months after a serious knee injury which for a time threatened to end his career.

Maddison had not started a game for even longer, with his own recovery from cruciate knee damage complicated by a setback, a hip niggle in the summer and then a shoulder injury after coming on as a sub in the first game of the season at Brentford.

Roberto De Zerbi threw Maddison back into the team against Coventry, a club where his career began before leaving for Norwich more than a decade ago, and whose fans made the mistake of jeering his early touches.

Maddison repaid the Spurs boss and silenced the those in the away end with a wonderful goal to give his team the lead in the 14th minute and settle a few of the jitters.

It swerved from his right boot just outside the penalty box and traced through an elegant arc into the top corner of the net, his first Premier League goal for 610 days.

By the time he left the pitch exhausted to a standing ovation in the 69th minute, his team were 2-1 up.

Jack Rudoni had equalised for Coventry before Omar Marmoush scored his first since arriving from Manchester City to restore the lead and Ben Davies added a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth should have saved the effort from Davies but the home fans did not care, Finally, they could celebrate their first victory of the Premier League win of the season and with it climb off the foot of the table.

It was a positive return from a training break last week on the Costa del Sol even if Spurs were far from emphatic.

They were untidy at times in possession and vulnerable at the back. There are injury problems piling up. Tosin Adarabioyo, Andy Robertson and Marmoush all limped off in a nervous closing spell.

On top of injuries to Pedro Porro, Savio, Lucas Bergvall, Mykhailo Mudryk and Destiny Udogie, the casualty list is lengthening once again.

Nor will this performance cause sleepless nights across London at Chelsea, the opponents for Spurs on Saturday and yet this was a night De Zerbi desperately needed.

First for the win to release the pressure and instil belief that they can win at home, and then to have Maddison making them tick, always looking to move the ball at a slick tempo and Kulusevski back in the picture.

De Zerbi deployed a lopsided tactical shape with three centre halves, and Jan Paul van Hecke on the right of the trio sliding across to play at times as a right back.

Toni Kinsky saved at the feet of Rudoni inside 15 seconds. Van Hecke deflected a shot from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Bobby Thomas went close with a header from the corner. All of this within the first 15 minutes.

Mohamed Kudus proved difficult to pick up in the first half in his role as a wing back seemingly devoid of defensive duties and was involved in Maddison's opener, carrying the ball forward after Tosin won it in the air and Archie Gray moved it wide.

The goal though was all about Maddison's exquisite finish, swept first time beyond the dive of Rushworth who is struggling with quality of long-range shooting in the Premier League.

Brighton's Lewis Dunk and Newcastle's Sven Botman have both crashed screamers past him and there was more pain from distance for him in the second half.

Spurs dominated possession, although Maddison's goal was their only shot on target in the first half and they wobbled against a Coventry team quick on the turnover and threatening from set pieces. Tosin's presence helped Spurs to cope with their aerial strength.

The Van de Ven afterburners were required towards the end of the first half when Brandon Thomas-Asante darted clear of Van Hecke. Van de Ven was alert to the danger and quick on the cover with a sliding tackle.

Coventry started the season with four defeats but kicked into life with a win at Nottingham Forest before thumping four past Newcastle on their previous outing.

They travelled to London with the look of a team who knew the plan and were level early in the second half.

Van Hecke lost the ball dribbling out into midfield and was punished by Rudoni who linked up well with Caleb Yirenkyi and then forced a shot past Kinsky when his initial cross rebounded his way.

Spurs have seldom responded well to setbacks in recent months, especially not at home in the Premier League and the fact they did will encourage De Zerbi. They went forward with purpose after the equaliser.

Sandro Tonali fizzed shots over and wide before Marmoush struck. Coventry disputed the goal. They thought there was a foul by the Spurs goalscorer as he rolled out of a challenge and threw out an elbow and catching Milan van Ewijk flush in the face, but the goal would stand.

Then on came Kulusevski to a rapturous ovation. And in went the third. Spurs have lift off.