Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison may become a pivotal figure if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to avoid the drop and remain in the Premier League. The North London side have just celebrated a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first win of the 2026 calendar year – but the celebration was dampened by a fresh wave of injuries to key attacking players. Xavi Simons, who has been a £52 million signing, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, delivering a severe blow to Tottenham's survival hopes. Simons' absence is only the latest in a string of setbacks that have left Spurs precariously positioned two points behind the safety zone with four matches remaining.
Earlier in the campaign, summer recruit Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero both suffered season‑ending injuries during the opening month of De Zerbi’s tenure. The club has also been without Dejan Kulusevski for an extended period, and James Maddison has not featured since August after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Although Maddison was named in the most recent matchday squads, the medical staff deemed him not yet fit to make a full‑time return. Nevertheless, Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, argued that Maddison possesses the "magic" Tottenham need to stave off relegation.
"Spurs have been incredibly unlucky with injuries," he said. "If they hadn't suffered this injury curse, they wouldn't be in this predicament." Carragher highlighted a disturbing trend: three players occupying similar attacking roles – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – have all succumbed to ACL injuries. "Now I feel Maddison, who is coming back from a serious injury, may have to play a role in keeping Tottenham up," the former Liverpool and England defender added. He went on to compare Maddison’s potential impact with that of fellow creative talents Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White, noting that Maddison’s skill set could provide the decisive spark.
"He might only get 15 to 20 minutes off the bench, but he’s the only player I can think of who could deliver that little bit of magic, especially in tough away fixtures against Aston Villa and Chelsea," Carragher explained. The former defender also emphasized Maddison’s determination: "Even after a win at Wolves, there’s still a lingering fear of relegation. Maddison would still want to take the ball, no matter the situation. For Spurs to stay up, I feel he has a role to play." Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall echoed this sentiment on the same programme, describing Maddison as "probably the most creative player in the Spurs squad." He added that while Maddison would not have wanted to be thrust into such a high‑pressure role, his ability to change a game in the final minutes could be crucial: "He could come on for 15 or 20 minutes and either set up a chance or score a goal.
Spurs currently lack a clear attacking threat." The relegation battle remains intense. After the weekend’s fixtures, Tottenham, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest all matched each other’s results, each desperate to avoid joining Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.
Spurs have four games left – home matches against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea. Carragher warned that despite the win at Wolves, Tottenham’s goal‑scoring record lags behind that of Forest and West Ham, both of which boast players of Gibbs‑White and Bowen’s calibre.
"It’s going to be really tough for Spurs," he said. "The fans may think they’ve finally won a game after a barren season, but their rivals have also secured victories. Adding the recent injury list to the mix, even with a win, Spurs are arguably in a worse position than last week because they’ve already taken care of the easiest fixture on paper." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood weighed in on Sky Sports FC, lamenting that injuries have plagued Tottenham all season and suggesting that bad luck is not the sole explanation. "They need to review what’s happening to their players.
Many of these injuries are non‑contact – twists and soft‑tissue problems. Ultimately, they may have to pay the ultimate price: relegation," Sherwood warned. He noted that both Kulusevski and Maddison have been sidelined for a prolonged period and will require careful management over the summer. Sherwood also compared Tottenham’s attacking options with those of their rivals, stating: "West Ham and Nottingham Forest may have difficult fixtures on paper, but they have front‑four players like Morgan Gibbs‑White and Jarrod Bowen.
Spurs lack an attacker who can even come close to that level. That is what worries me for Spurs." Looking ahead to the remaining fixtures, Sherwood expressed doubt about Tottenham’s ability to find the net.
"After watching the Wolves game and seeing the injuries up front, who is going to score for Spurs? Who will create? The games at Aston Villa and Chelsea are tough regardless of form.
I can’t see them scoring more than one goal in each. If they do score, they’ll need to keep a clean sheet to win, which puts enormous pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton." In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that injuries have crippled Tottenham’s campaign and that the onus now falls on the remaining fit players – particularly James Maddison – to deliver moments of brilliance that could secure vital points. With only four matches left and a narrow margin separating them from safety, every minute on the pitch, every chance created, and every goal scored will be under intense scrutiny. If Maddison can indeed provide the "magic" that Carragher envisions, his brief cameo appearances could become the difference between Premier League survival and a fall to the Championship.