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 just secured a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers – their first triumph of the 2026 calendar year – but the victory was shadowed by a fresh wave of injuries to key attacking players. Xavi Simons has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, a loss that Carragher described as a "major blow" to Spurs' survival hopes. Simons' £52 million exit from the squad is the latest in a string of setbacks that have left Tottenham perilously close to the relegation zone.
With four matches left, the club sit two points behind safety. Earlier in the season, summer acquisition Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero both suffered season‑ending injuries during the first month of Antonio Conte's predecessor, De Zerbi, taking charge. Dejan Kulusevski has also been sidelined, and Maddison has not featured since tearing his ACL in August. Although Maddison was named in the last two matchday squads, the medical staff have deemed him not yet fit for a full comeback.
Still, on Monday Night Football Carragher argued that Maddison possesses the "magic" Tottenham need to steer clear of the Championship. "Spurs have been incredibly unlucky with injuries," he told Sky Sports.
"If they hadn't endured this injury crisis they wouldn't be in the position they're in now." Carragher highlighted a troubling pattern: three players occupying similar attacking roles – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons – have all suffered ACL problems. "Now I feel Maddinson, who is returning from injury, may have to play a role in keeping Tottenham up," the former Liverpool defender said.
He went on to compare Maddison's potential impact with that of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White, noting that the midfielder has the same quality to produce something special. "He might only get 15 to 20 minutes off the bench, but he's the only one I can think of who could deliver that little bit of magic, especially in the away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea," Carragher added. The former England international emphasized Maddison's willingness to take the ball regardless of the situation.
"Even after the win at Wolves, there's still a fear of relegation, but Maddison would still want to drive forward. For Spurs to stay up, I feel he has a role to play," he concluded.
Everton forward Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall echoed the sentiment on the same programme, calling Maddison "probably the most creative player in the Spurs squad". He admitted that the midfielder would not have wanted to be in a position where the team relies on him, yet he could come on in the final minutes and either set up a chance or score a goal. "Spurs haven't really got a hat at the moment," Dewsbury‑Hall said, referring to the lack of a reliable goal‑scoring outlet. The relegation battle remains tight.
After the weekend, Tottenham, West Ham and Nottingham Forest all matched the victory of Burnley and Wolves, leaving three clubs desperate to avoid the drop. Spurs have four games remaining: home matches 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 due to a dearth of goals compared with Forest and West Ham, 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've finally won a game of football – they haven't won one all season – but their rivals West Ham and Forest also won. Adding the injuries from the weekend, even with the win, Spurs are 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, blaming injuries for derailing Tottenham's campaign.
"Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can't just be bad luck. They need to review what's happening to their players because many of these injuries are non‑contact – twists and soft‑tissue problems. Ultimately, they might have to pay the ultimate price: relegation," he warned.
Sherwood pointed out that both Kulusevski and Maddison have been out for an extended period and that the club will need to address these issues over the summer. Sherwood also compared Spurs' attacking options with those of West Ham and Forest. "Both those clubs have front‑four systems with players like Morgan Gibbs‑White or Jarrod Bowen. Spurs don't have an attacker who can even come close to that level," he argued, expressing concern over Tottenham's lack of firepower.
Reflecting on the Wolves game and the injury list, Sherwood asked, "Who is going to score for Spurs? Who is going to create something?" He highlighted the difficulty of the upcoming fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea, saying, "Even if they manage to score, I can only see it being a single goal, meaning they'd have to keep a clean sheet to win. That puts huge pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton." In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that Tottenham's survival hinges on two critical factors: the return of key injured players and the ability to find a creative spark in the final stretch. James Maddison, despite his long rehabilitation, is seen as the most likely candidate to provide that spark.
Whether a brief cameo off the bench can turn the tide remains to be seen, but the consensus among pundits is clear – Tottenham need Maddison's magic, or they risk joining Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.