The Spurs midfielder fires back at Keane’s brutal criticism with a decisive goal and pointed celebration

James Maddison wasted no time silencing his critics—quite literally—after scoring Tottenham Hotspur’s match-winning goal against Manchester United. Returning from injury, the midfielder hit back at Roy Keane’s scathing remarks with a defiant “shushing” celebration, making it clear he had heard the noise and delivered the perfect response.

Keane had dismissed Maddison’s impact earlier in the week, claiming on The Overlap podcast that the England international wouldn’t make a difference to Ange Postecoglou’s struggling side. “Maddison’s the man? When is he going to step up?” Keane had scoffed. “He got relegated with Leicester and he’ll get relegated with Spurs.”

Maddison, however, had the last laugh. In just the 11th minute, he coolly slotted home the winner, marking his return in emphatic style. As he wheeled away in celebration, he made his usual darts-throwing gesture—but this time, there was an extra touch of defiance. With a smirk, he mimicked a talking motion with his hand before pressing his finger to his lips in a pointed message to his critics.

After the match, Maddison addressed his celebration, telling Sky Sports: “There was a little bit of outside noise this week. People will have their opinions, but I wanted to do my talking on the pitch today. I hope there are a certain few who enjoyed me being the match winner.”

He acknowledged the difficulty of blocking out external criticism, particularly when it comes from big names like Keane. “Social media, WhatsApp—people send you this stuff, so you see it. But it’s about responding in the right way, and I did that today.”

While Tottenham remain 12th in the Premier League table, Maddison’s return—alongside goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario—brought a much-needed lift to the team. His presence could prove vital in reigniting Spurs’ season, especially after a difficult spell plagued by injuries.

For now, Maddison’s message is clear: doubt him at your peril.