James Maddison was back on the Tottenham bench at the weekend after eight months on the sidelines due to an ACL tear.
His absence has doubtless contributed to our torrid campaign, with relegation still staring us in the face despite a positive performance against Brighton & Hove Albion. Maddison's chief mitigation, Xavi Simons, came to the fore on Saturday, scoring a belter to hand the Lilywhites a 2-1 lead with 15 minutes to play.
However, Georginio Rutter's stoppage time leveller drastically deflated spirits, even if West Ham United were unable to take full advantage on Monday night.
Spurs remain winless in the Premier League this calendar year, but our performance on Saturday should inspire a semblance of hope. For the first time in months, we appeared a competent top flight outfit, with Brighton one of the division's form teams.
Moreover, the presence of Maddison in the matchday squad proves that his long-awaited return is close, with the English creator bound to play some role in our fight for survival during the final month of the season.
Fairytale Coventry reunion surely on table for Maddison
We're still fancied by the bookies and the nerds at Opta to succumb to a stunning relegation, even if we could be out of the drop zone come Saturday evening, perhaps with a sense of developing momentum in our back pockets, too.
If we are playing Championship football next season, it would be incredibly intriguing to see what our team looks like in the second tier. You'd expect a mass exodus, although loyalty through sickness and in health has already been reported from Dejan Kulusevski's door.
Given that he's dealt with a pair of significant knee injuries within the past 15 months, many have wondered whether Maddison would stick around for what would hopefully just be a year in the EFL.
"I love this club, man. Best decision I ever made was joining this club," the 29-year-old said during last year's Europa League trophy parade. However, his adoration is bound to be tested in the event of our relegation. Moreover, there's a Premier League transfer that makes too much sense.
Coventry City are back in the top flight for the first time in 25 years, and they'll doubtless embark on a summer splurge to give them the best possible chance of staying up. If Spurs drop down, they'd surely test the waters for former academy star Maddison, whose market is unlikely to be humming as a result of his long-term injury.
The Coventry-born playmaker represented the Sky Blues in League One before gradually working his way up the divisions. The club's re-emergence over the past decade has culminated in a euphoric Premier League return after a couple of near-misses, and a Maddison reunion would be a fairytale that not even us Spurs supporters can begrudge.
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