Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison may become a pivotal figure if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to avoid the drop and retain their Premier League status. The North London side have been plagued by a cascade of injuries, and the latest setbacks came in their 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first win of the 2026 calendar year. Xavi Simons, who has been a key creative outlet, suffered a season‑ending injury, delivering a severe blow to Spurs' aspirations of staying up.
Simons' £52 million exit from the squad is merely the most recent in a string of misfortunes. Tottenham currently sit two points adrift of safety with four matches remaining. Earlier in the campaign, summer acquisition Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero were ruled out for the rest of the season during the opening month of Ange de Zerbi’s tenure. The injury list also includes Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, the latter having missed action since August after tearing his ACL.
Although Maddison has been named in the last two matchday squads, the medical team has not cleared him for a full‑time return. Nevertheless, Carragher, speaking on Monday Night Football, argued that Maddison possesses the kind of "magic" Tottenham need to steer clear of relegation.
"Spurs have been incredibly unlucky with injuries," he told Sky Sports. "If they hadn't suffered this injury crisis, they wouldn't find themselves in this predicament." Carragher highlighted a troubling pattern: three players occupying similar attacking roles – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – have all suffered ACL tears. "Now I feel Maddison, who is finally emerging from his lay‑off, could be instrumental in keeping Tottenham up," the former Liverpool and England defender said.
He went on to compare Maddison’s potential impact with that of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White, noting that the former’s creative instincts could provide the spark Spurs lack. "He might only get 15‑20 minutes off the bench, but he's the only player I can see who could produce that special moment, especially in the away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea," Carragher added.
The former defender also praised Maddison’s willingness to take the ball in any situation, even under pressure. "When I picture the Spurs squad and the fear of relegation, I see Maddison still eager to drive forward, regardless of the circumstances. For Spurs to survive, I truly believe he has a role to play," Carragher concluded. Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall echoed this sentiment on Monday Night Football, describing Maddison as "probably the most creative player in the Spurs squad." He admitted that Maddison would not have wanted to be thrust into such a high‑stakes scenario, but his ability to change a game in the final minutes could be decisive.
"Spurs haven’t really got a hat‑trick of goals at the moment," Dewsbury‑Hall warned. The relegation battle remains fierce after the weekend, with Tottenham, West Ham and Nottingham Forest all 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 Wolves win, Tottenham may still struggle to find the goals needed, especially when compared to Forest and West Ham, who boast attacking talents like Gibbs‑White and Bowen.
"It’s going to be really tough for Spurs," Carragher 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 injuries to the mix, Spurs are actually in a worse position than last week despite having cleared the easiest fixture on paper." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in on Sky Sports FC, attributing Tottenham’s woes to a persistent injury epidemic. "Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can’t just be bad luck.
They need to examine why so many of their players are picking up non‑contact soft‑tissue problems," he argued. Sherwood warned that if key figures such as Kulusevski and Maddison continue to miss large chunks of the campaign, the club could face the ultimate consequence: relegation. Sherwood further compared Spurs’ attacking options with those of their rivals, noting that West Ham and Nottingham Forest both deploy a front four featuring players like Morgan Gibbs‑White and Jarrod Bowen, whereas Tottenham lack a comparable striker.
"That’s my biggest worry for Spurs," he said. Looking ahead to the remaining fixtures, Sherwood expressed doubt about Tottenham’s ability to find the back of the net. "After watching the Wolves game and seeing the injuries up front, who’s going to score for Spurs?
Who will create chances? The games at Villa and Chelsea are tough regardless of form. I can’t see them scoring more than one goal in each. If they do, they’ll need 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 Tottenham’s survival hinges on overcoming a severe injury crisis and finding a source of creativity and goal‑scoring.
James Maddison, once fully fit, could provide the decisive spark that the team desperately needs, especially in the critical closing weeks of the season. The coming fixtures will test the depth of Tottenham’s squad and the resilience of a club fighting to remain in the top flight.