Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison may become a decisive factor if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to avoid the drop and remain in the Premier League. The north London side have been plagued by a cascade of injuries, and the recent 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first win of the 2026 calendar year – did little to mask the depth of their problems. Xavi Simons, the £52 million teenager, was ruled out for the remainder of the season, delivering a severe blow to Spurs' chances of staying up. Simons' absence is just the latest in a string of setbacks that have left Tottenham two points adrift of safety with four matches remaining.
Early in Antonio de Zerbi’s tenure, summer signing Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero were both sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Dejan Kulusevski has also been unavailable, and James Maddison has been on the treatment table since August after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Although Maddison was named in the previous two matchday squads, the medical staff deemed him not fit enough for a full‑time comeback. Nevertheless, Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, argued that Maddison possesses the "magic" Tottenham need to stave off relegation.
"Spurs have been extremely unlucky with injuries," he said. "If they didn’t have this injury record they wouldn’t be in this position." He highlighted that three attacking players – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – have all suffered ACL injuries, a worrying pattern for any club. "Now I feel Maddison, who is returning from injury, may have to play a role in keeping Tottenham up," Carragher added. When asked which player could provide that special spark, Carragher named Maddison alongside Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White as the few individuals capable of producing moments of brilliance.
He suggested that even a brief cameo of fifteen to twenty minutes off the bench could be enough for Maddison to make a difference, particularly in the upcoming away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea. "He will still want the ball, no matter the situation," Carragher emphasized, insisting that Maddison’s creativity could be vital in the final stretch. Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall echoed this sentiment on the same programme, calling Maddison "probably the most creative player in the Spurs squad" and noting that the midfielder would relish the chance to influence a game in the closing minutes.
"He wouldn’t have wanted to be in a position where he is relied upon," Dewsbury‑Hall said, "but he is the type of player who can come on and either set up a chance or score a goal." Tottenham’s relegation battle remains intense. After the weekend, the club sits level with West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, both of whom secured victories while also fighting for survival.
With four games left – home matches against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea – Carragher warned that Spurs could struggle to find the goals needed to match their rivals, who boast attacking talents such as Gibbs‑White and Bowen. "It’s going to be really tough for Spurs," he said. "The fans might think they have finally won a game of football, but they haven’t won a league match all season.
Meanwhile, West Ham and Forest have also won, so the gap isn’t closing." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood weighed in on Sky Sports FC, blaming a spate of non‑contact injuries for derailing Tottenham’s season. He called for a thorough review of the club’s medical protocols, noting that many of the injuries – including twists and soft‑tissue problems – appear to be avoidable. "If you’re a manager and your best players keep getting injured, you’re going to pay the ultimate price – relegation," Sherwood warned.
He singled out Kulusevski and Maddison as long‑term casualties whose absences have crippled the team’s attacking options. Sherwood also compared Tottenham’s attacking depth unfavourably with that of West Ham and Forest, both of which operate with a front four and feature players capable of consistently threatening the opposition. "Spurs don’t have a forward who can even come close to the quality of Bowen or Gibbs‑White," he said. "That is what worries me for Spurs." Looking ahead to the crucial fixtures at Villa Park and Stamford Bridge, Sherwood expressed doubt that Tottenham can find the back of the net.
"Who is going to score for Spurs? Who is going to create?
I can’t see them scoring more than one goal in those games, which would force them to keep a clean sheet to win. It puts massive pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton." In summary, the consensus among pundits is that Tottenham’s survival hinges on a combination of luck, medical recovery, and perhaps a moment of individual brilliance from James Maddison.
If the midfielder can return to even a fraction of his pre‑injury form, his vision, passing range, and knack for unlocking defences could provide the thin edge the club needs. However, the odds remain steep, and the next four matches will likely decide whether Tottenham remains in the Premier League or joins Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.