Key Takeaways
- James Maddison could return from injury to help Tottenham avoid relegation with four games remaining
- Spurs sit two points below the safety line following their first victory of 2026 against Wolverhampton Wanderers
- The club faces a severe injury crisis with Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus and Cristian Romero ruled out for the season
Football pundit Jamie Carragher has identified James Maddison as the player who could rescue Tottenham Hotspur from relegation trouble. The midfielder has spent months on the sidelines with a knee injury but may feature in the club’s crucial final fixtures.
Tottenham claimed a vital win at Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, yet they remain two points adrift of safety with only four matches left. The victory came at a heavy cost as Xavi Simons joined the growing list of season-ending casualties.
The Dutch midfielder suffered a serious problem during the match and will miss the remainder of the campaign. He follows Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski onto the treatment table.
Maddison has not featured since August after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. He has returned to training and appeared in recent matchday squads, though the coaching staff have not yet risked him in competitive action.
Carragher insists the former Leicester City man offers something unique within the current Tottenham squad. He compared Maddison’s creative abilities to those of West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
“He is the only player capable of producing genuine magic,” Carragher stated. “Even if he only manages fifteen or twenty minutes from the bench, he could create the decisive moment we need.”
The former Liverpool defender pointed to difficult away fixtures at Aston Villa and Stamford Bridge as matches where individual quality becomes essential. He expressed doubts about Tottenham’s ability to score goals without their injured attackers.
Tim Sherwood, who previously managed the north London club, urged the board to investigate the training methods. He noted that many injuries were non-contact problems rather than bad luck from tackles.
Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall echoed Carragher’s assessment. He described Maddison as the most creative player available to the coaching staff and suggested he could influence games despite limited match fitness.
Tottenham must now navigate home fixtures against Leeds United and Everton, plus difficult trips to Villa Park and Stamford Bridge. Their rivals West Ham United and Nottingham Forest also secured victories at the weekend, keeping the relegation battle tight.
Carragher warned that Tottenham lack the attacking firepower of their competitors. He suggested the club must rely on defensive solidity and hope Maddison can provide moments of inspiration to secure their top-flight status.