Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison may become a decisive factor if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to avoid the drop and retain their Premier League status. The north London side suffered another blow to their attacking options in a narrow 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first win of the 2026 calendar year – when young star Xavi Simons was confirmed to be out for the remainder of the campaign. Simons' season‑ending injury adds to a growing list of setbacks that have left Spurs perched two points adrift of safety with only four matches left to play. The £52 million signing’s absence follows earlier misfortunes that saw summer acquisition Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero ruled out for the rest of the season during the opening month of Antonio de Zerbi’s tenure.
Dejan Kulusevski has also been sidelined, and Maddison himself has not featured since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in August. Although he has been named in the most recent matchday squads, the former Leicester City playmaker has not been judged fit enough to make a full comeback. Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, argued that Maddison possesses the kind of creativity and spark that could provide the "magic" Tottenham need as they fight to stay clear of the Championship.
"Spurs have been incredibly unlucky with injuries," Carragher told the network. "If they hadn't suffered this spate of knocks, they wouldn't be in the position they're in now. The fact that three players in similar attacking roles – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – have all suffered ACL problems is unprecedented." He went on to say that Maddison, once he is fully fit, may have to step up and help keep Tottenham up. "He is the only player I can think of who could do something special," Carragher added, drawing a parallel with the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White.
"Even if he only gets 15 or 20 minutes off the bench, his presence could be the difference. Those minutes could be vital in the upcoming away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea, where a moment of brilliance might turn a draw into three points." The former Liverpool and England defender highlighted Maddison's determination, noting that the midfielder would still want to take the ball in any situation, regardless of the pressure.
"When I picture the Spurs squad and the fear of relegation, I see Maddison taking the ball, trying to create something, no matter how limited his time on the pitch," he said. "For Tottenham to survive, I feel he has a role to play." Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall echoed the sentiment on the same programme, calling Maddison "probably the most creative player in the Spurs squad".
He added that Maddison would not have wanted to be placed in a position where he is relied upon to rescue the team, but that his ability to produce a chance or even a goal in the final minutes could be crucial. "Spurs haven't really got a hat trick of options at the moment," Dewsbury‑Hall observed. The relegation battle remains tight after the weekend, with Tottenham, West Ham and Nottingham Forest all scrambling to avoid joining Burnley and Wolves in the second tier. Spurs have four games remaining – home fixtures against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Carragher warned that despite the win at Wolves, Tottenham could still struggle because of a lack of firepower compared with their rivals, who boast players like Gibbs‑White and Bowen. "It's going to be really tough for Spurs," he said. "The fans might think they've finally won a game after a barren season, but West Ham and Forest also secured victories.
Adding the weekend's injuries to the mix, Tottenham are arguably in a worse position than last week, even though they've cleared what looked like the easiest match on paper." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in on Sky Sports FC, blaming the injury crisis for derailing Tottenham's season. He argued that the club needs to investigate why so many non‑contact injuries have occurred, pointing to soft‑tissue problems and twists that have kept key players out. "If you're a manager and your best players keep getting injured and you can't get them back to fitness, that's a recipe for disaster," Sherwood warned, naming Kulusevski and Maddison as prime examples of long‑term absentees who will need careful management over the summer. Sherwood compared Spurs' attacking options unfavourably with those of West Ham and Nottingham Forest, noting that both opponents field a front four featuring players capable of scoring and creating consistently.
"Spurs don't have an attacker who can match the quality of Bowen or Gibbs‑White," he said. "That worries me for Tottenham." Looking ahead to the crucial fixtures, Sherwood questioned who will find the net for Spurs against Villa and Chelsea. "I can't see them scoring a goal. If they do, it will probably be a solitary strike, meaning they'd have to keep a clean sheet to win.
That puts enormous pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton," he concluded. In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that Tottenham's survival hinges on a combination of injury management and the emergence of a creative spark – qualities that James Maddison could provide if he returns to full fitness. Whether a brief cameo off the bench can deliver the decisive moment remains to be seen, but the stakes are clear: without a resurgence from players like Maddison, Spurs risk joining the list of clubs relegated to the Championship next season.