Tottenham Hotspur ended their long wait for a Premier League goal this season by bagging two in front of a home crowd against Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.
Unfortunately for an under-pressure Roberto De Zerbi and his side, the Villains scored three as the hosts fell to yet another league defeat. Spurs ended the day in 19th with a goal difference of -6.
While the goal drought may have ended, it took until the 86th minute for Tottenham to register a goal and questions over attacking output are far from answered. Luckily for De Zerbi, he may have somewhat of a forgotten ace up his sleeve in Mohammed Kudus.
Tottenham Hotspur attackers endure 'diabolical' start to season
Tottenham invested heavily in their front line this summer. A staggering £75 million was spent on Manchester City winger Savio, with teammate Omar Marmoush and Chelsea outcast Mykhailo Mudryk also arriving in North London on loan.
With around £185 million also splurged on bolstering creativity in midfield through Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, Spurs were expected to hit the ground running this season. That has not been the case.
The only players to score across all competitions so far this season have been defensive midfielder Conor Gallagher and centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. Jamie Redknapp has labelled the Spurs attack as 'absolutely diabolical', and he certainly isn't wrong.
With the transfer window closed and January recruitment surely restricted by an investment-heavy summer, De Zerbi must find answers to the attacking crisis in-house. Step up, Kudus.
Mohammed Kudus can be like 'new signing' for Roberto De Zerbi
Spurs paid a reported £55 million to sign Kudus from West Ham in the summer of 2025, and are yet to see the best of the winger. At the London Stadium, the Ghana international had been a charismatic firecracker on the wing, and often a match winner for the Hammers.
Kudus picked up two assists in his first Premier League match for Tottenham last season but struggled to build on that with the clouds hovering over the club hardly conducive to an easy transition. A serious quad injury in January then ended the player's season prematurely.
De Zerbi has been cautious when working Kudus back into the side this season, the player's only start coming against Liverpool in midweek. The winger had some bright moments in that match and almost hit the back of the net when getting on the end of a Destiny Udogie cross.
With Spurs 1-0 down at half time against Aston Villa, De Zerbi once again turned to Kudus. The 26-year-old looked hungry and made a positive impact, working hard to be in the right place at the right time to poke in a disallowed 60th-minute equaliser.
Kudus was also the creator of the Gallagher goal, playing a one-two with Marmoush before a jinking run past Victor Lindelöf to cut the ball back. Spurs have lacked that intent and ambition.
Mohammed Kudus Premier League stats -
While all attention is on Savio, Marmoush and Mudryk, the last two appearances suggest that the man with the fire and dynamism to kickstart Spurs' season is Kudus. After a difficult 12 months, it's too easy to forget just how good the winger was during his high moments at West Ham.
When Tottenham signed the player, Premier League legend and compatriot Michael Essien was asked how highly he rated Kudus. He told talkSPORT: "Very high, very high. He's got everything to be at the top, he's a good footballer - he's got everything to be a top, top, player."
That hype may feel a long time ago but, amid the frustrations of recent weeks, Kudus' engine is beginning to rev - he could be like a new signing for Tottenham this term.