Jamie Carragher believes that James Maddison may become a crucial factor in Tottenham Hotspur's fight to avoid relegation and retain their Premier League status. The north London side recently secured a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking their first win of the 2026 campaign, but the triumph was marred by a spate of injuries that have left the attacking line severely depleted.
In the Wolves match, Tottenham suffered another blow when Xavi Simons was ruled out for the remainder of the season. The 22-year-old, who arrived at the club for a £52 million fee, now joins a growing list of key players sidelined indefinitely. The club currently sits two points shy of safety with only four fixtures remaining, and the injury list includes summer signing Mohammed Kudus and captain Cristian Romero, both of whom were declared out for the rest of the season early in Ange De Zerbi's tenure.
Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have also been absent; Maddison has been recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained in August. Although Maddison was named in the last two matchday squads, the medical team has not cleared him for a full‑time comeback. Nevertheless, Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports' "Monday Night Football," argued that Maddison possesses the kind of creativity and instinct that could provide the "magic" Tottenham need in the closing stages of the relegation battle.
"Spurs have been unbelievably unlucky with injuries," Carragher told the broadcaster. "If they hadn't suffered such a catastrophic injury record, they wouldn't be in this precarious position." He continued, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the club's misfortune: three ACL injuries have struck players occupying similar attacking roles – Kulusevski, Maddison and now Simons. "Now I feel Maddinson, who is finally returning from a long lay‑off, may have to step up and help keep Tottenham up," Carragher said. When asked which player could deliver something special, Carragher singled out Maddison, comparing his potential impact to that of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs‑White.
"He might only get 15 to 20 minutes off the bench, but he's the only one I can think of who could produce that spark, especially in tough away games at Aston Villa and Chelsea," he added. Carragher also noted Maddison's mentality: "Even after the win at Wolves, there is still a lingering fear of relegation. Maddison would still want the ball, regardless of the circumstances. For Spurs to stay up, 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 suggested that the midfielder could be the type of substitute who, in the final 15‑20 minutes, creates a clear‑cut chance or even scores.
"Spurs haven't really got a hat‑trick of quality at the moment," Dewsbury‑Hall warned. The relegation scramble 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 Championship next season. Tottenham now have four matches left: home fixtures against Leeds United and Everton, and away trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Carragher warned that despite the Wolves win, Spurs could still struggle due to a lack of firepower compared with 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 they've finally won a game after a barren season, but their rivals also secured victories. Add the fresh injuries from the weekend and, paradoxically, they've actually slipped into a worse position because they've already taken care of the easiest game on paper." Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in, blaming the club's injury crisis for the season's woes.
"Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can't just be bad luck. They need to scrutinise what is happening to their players – many of these injuries are non‑contact, soft‑tissue problems," Sherwood explained. He warned that if the club cannot keep its best players fit, the ultimate price could be relegation. "Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have been out for a hell of a long time.
They will need a thorough review over the summer." Sherwood also compared Tottenham's attacking options to those of their rivals, noting that West Ham and Nottingham Forest field front fours featuring dynamic talents such as Bowen and Gibbs‑White. "Spurs don't have anyone in attack who can even come close to those players," he argued, expressing concern over the club's ability to find a goal scorer in the remaining fixtures. Looking ahead to the crucial away games at Villa and Chelsea, Sherwood doubted Tottenham's capacity to find the net.
"I can't see them scoring a goal. If they do, it's likely to be a solitary strike, meaning they'd have to keep a clean sheet to win.
That puts immense pressure on the home games against Leeds and Everton," he concluded. In summary, both Carragher and Sherwood agree that Tottenham's survival hinges on a combination of factors: a return to fitness for key players like Maddison, a tactical shift to generate more chances, and perhaps a touch of the creative brilliance that Maddison has shown in the past. With only four matches left and the spectre of relegation looming, the Spurs faithful will be hoping that the midfielder's comeback can indeed provide the decisive spark the club so desperately needs.