Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison could prove decisive if Tottenham Hotspur hopes to stay in the Premier League. 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 the 2026 calendar year – came at the cost of yet another key attacker being ruled out. Xavi Simons, who joined the club for £52 million, suffered a season‑ending injury, adding to a growing list of absences that have left Spurs teetering just two points above the drop zone with four matches remaining.
Since the start of Antonio Conte’s tenure, Tottenham have seen summer signing Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have also been missing; Maddison has been out since August after tearing his ACL. Although he has been named in the squad for the last two matchdays, the medical team has not cleared him for a full‑time comeback.
Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, argued that Maddison possesses the kind of creative flair that could provide the "magic" Spurs need to steer clear of the Championship. "Spurs have been incredibly unlucky with injuries," Carragher told the programme. "If they hadn't suffered this injury curse, they wouldn't be in this predicament.
The club has now lost three players in the same position to ACL damage – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons. That’s a massive blow." He went on to say that Maddian, once fit, could be the only player capable of delivering a moment of brilliance that might turn the tide for the team. The former Liverpool and England defender highlighted Maddison’s technical qualities, comparing him to fellow Tottenham talents Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White.
"He’s the only one I can think of who could do something special," Carragher said. "Even if he only gets 15‑20 minutes off the bench, his vision and passing range could spark a goal or a decisive chance, especially in the upcoming away fixtures at Aston Villa and Chelsea." Carragher also noted the psychological impact of a player like Maddison returning from a serious injury.
"When I watch the Spurs players, there’s a palpable fear of relegation," he said. "The win at Wolves may have lifted that a little, but Maddison will still want the ball, will still drive forward regardless of the situation.
For Spurs to survive, 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 Maddison would not relish the pressure of being counted on to rescue the club, yet his ability to influence a game in a short spell could be crucial.
"Spurs haven’t really got a hat‑trick of options at the moment," Dewsbury‑Hall said. The relegation battle remains tight.
After the weekend, Tottenham, West Ham 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 matches against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea. Carragher warned that despite the Wolves win, Tottenham could still struggle due to a lack of firepower compared with Forest and West Ham, who boast forwards like Gibbs‑White and Bowen. "It’s going to be really tough for Spurs," he warned.
"The fans might think they’ve finally won a game after a barren season, but West Ham and Forest also secured victories. Add the fresh injuries from the weekend, and despite the win, Spurs are arguably in a worse position than last week because they’ve already tackled the easiest fixture on paper." Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in, blaming a spate of non‑contact injuries for the club’s woes. "Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can’t just be bad luck," he said. "There’s a pattern of soft‑tissue problems that needs investigating.
If key players like Kulusevski and Maddison keep getting sidelined, the club may pay the ultimate price – relegation." Sherwood compared Spurs’ attacking options unfavourably with those of their rivals. "West Ham and Forest may have tougher fixtures on paper, but they have quality forwards – Morgan Gibbs‑White, Jarrod Bowen – that Tottenham simply lack at the moment. That worries me." He added after watching the Wolves game: "Who’s going to score for Spurs? Who’s going to create?
The fixtures at Villa and Chelsea are tough regardless of form. I can’t see Spurs finding the net more than once in those games. If they do, they’ll need a clean sheet to win, which puts massive pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton." In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that Tottenham’s survival hinges on two factors: the return of injured talent, particularly James Maddison, and the ability to generate goals in the remaining fixtures. While the club’s injury list looks daunting, a burst of creativity from Maddison – even in a limited cameo – could provide the spark needed to secure the points required to stay up.
The next few weeks will be decisive, and every minute on the pitch may count as Spurs fight to preserve their Premier League status.