Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison could become a pivotal figure if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to remain in the Premier League this season. The north London side have been plagued by a cascade of injuries, and their recent 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first win of 2026 – was achieved despite the loss of several key attackers. Most notably, Xavi Simons, who was signed for a reported £52 million, has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, delivering a severe blow to Tottenham's survival prospects.
Simons' absence is merely the latest in a string of setbacks that have left Spurs languishing two points adrift of safety with only four matches remaining. Early in Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, summer acquisition Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero both suffered season‑ending injuries. The club has also been missing Dejan Kulusevski for an extended period, and James Maddison has been sidelined since August after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Although Maddison was named in the squad for the last two matchdays, the medical team has not cleared him for a full‑time return. Nevertheless, during Monday Night Football, Carragher argued that Maddison possesses the kind of creative flair that could provide the "magic" Tottenham need as they battle to stay clear of the Championship. "Spurs have been extremely unlucky with injuries," he told Sky Sports. "If they hadn't suffered this injury crisis, they wouldn't be in the position they're in now." Carragher highlighted the unusual concentration of ACL injuries among Spurs' attacking options – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – and suggested that Maddison’s eventual comeback could be decisive.
He compared Maddison’s potential impact to that of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White, noting that even a brief cameo of fifteen to twenty minutes off the bench could be enough to spark a goal or a decisive chance. "He is the only player I can think of who might deliver that special moment," Carragher said, pointing to the upcoming away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea as matches where a spark of brilliance could make the difference. 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 while Maddison would not have wanted to be in a situation where the team is relying on him, his ability to influence a game in the final minutes could be crucial, especially given Tottenham's current lack of goal‑scoring firepower.
The relegation battle remains tight. After the weekend, Tottenham, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest all matched each other’s results, each desperate to avoid joining Burnley and Wolves in the second tier. Spurs have four games left – home fixtures against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Carragher warned that despite the morale boost from the Wolves win, Tottenham’s goal output still lags behind that of Forest and West Ham, who boast players like Bowen and Gibbs‑White. "It's going to be really tough for Spurs," he said.
"The fans might think a single win has solved everything, but they haven't won a game all season. Meanwhile, their rivals have also secured victories, and the injury list keeps growing.
In fact, after the Wolves win they are in a worse position on paper because they have already taken care of their easiest match." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in on Sky Sports FC, attributing Tottenham's struggles largely to the injury epidemic. "Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can't just be bad luck," he argued.
"Many of these are soft‑tissue problems, not contact injuries, and they may end up paying the ultimate price – relegation. When your best players keep getting hurt and you can't get them back to fitness, it's a nightmare for any manager." Sherwood pointed out that both West Ham and Forest have relatively tougher fixtures on paper, but they also possess more balanced attacking options.
"They play with a front four and have players like Morgan Gibbs‑White or Jarrod Bowen who can consistently threaten the defence. Spurs lack a forward who can match that level of quality," he warned. Looking ahead to the crucial matches at Villa Park and Stamford Bridge, Sherwood expressed doubt about Tottenham's ability to find the net.
"After watching the Wolves game and seeing the injuries in attack, I wonder who will score for Spurs. If they do score, I can only see it being a solitary goal, meaning they must keep a clean sheet to win. That's a very narrow margin for error and puts massive pressure on the remaining home games against Leeds and Everton." In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that Tottenham's fate hinges on two factors: the return of injured talent, particularly James Maddison, and the team's capacity to produce goals despite a depleted attacking lineup. If Maddison can deliver even a brief flash of his pre‑injury brilliance, it may be enough to tip the balance in Spurs' favour and secure their Premier League status for another season.