At a glance:
- Danny Murphy on how Tottenham survive relegation
- Roberto De Zerbi will have to take a huge risk
- Might not be a good decision for the Spurs star
Tottenham Hotspur’s successive wins against Wolves and Aston Villa have catapulted them above West Ham United to 17th place in the Premier League table.
However, Roberto De Zerbi will need no reminding that Spurs cannot afford to be lax, as they only have a one-point lead over the Hammers.
Injuries have impacted Tottenham’s season and De Zerbi will be hoping that no more of his key players are forced out of action this campaign.
The good news for the Lilywhites last month was that James Maddison returned from injury.
And now, former Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy has had his say on the former Leicester City playmaker.
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Danny Murphy tells Tottenham to play James Maddison to guarantee Premier League survival
Maddison, who Jamie Carragher called “special,” is the kind of player Tottenham are missing, according to Murphy.
With Dejan Kulusevski still injured as well as Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, the North Londoners lack a real difference-maker in the final third.
Murphy said via Football.London: “At the moment with Tottenham, it doesn’t feel as though they have got someone who’s got that ability, and it’s not when you haven’t got the ball, because they’re working hard enough.
“I think it’s more when you’ve got the ball, being brave and having the ability to play free and try and make passes and play through balls and get on it when it’s pressurised and the fans are whinging. Who’s that person?”
Murphy believes that the only way Tottenham can guarantee their status as a Premier League club next season, Roberto De Zerbi has no choice but to start Maddison, even though it is a risk, saying: “I’ve seen him on the bench the last few games, and Maddison is the one. Maddison is the one who could save them because he is a super talent who plays free.
“He can be the one who fires the ammunition to the strikers, whoever it is, whether they play Kolo Muani up there, or Richarlison.
“The problem is whether he is fit enough. Like, if he’s on the bench, he’s got to be close, and it might be a case that now Xavi Simons is injured, whether he’s 60, 70% fit, I’d be risking Madison, because he’s their hope.”
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Tottenham cannot afford to risk James Maddison’s fitness
While some might argue that all Tottenham should be concerned about Premier League survival, they also cannot afford to potentially hamper Maddison’s career by risking his fitness.
After all, the England international is coming back from an ACL injury and what is worrying is that Kulusevski, Simons and Wilson Odobert have suffered the same setback as the 29-year-old.
Tottenham’s medical staff has been slammed and understandably so as the pattern of such setbacks at the club has become extremely worrying.
While Danny Murphy makes a fair point by emphasising Maddison’s importance to this Tottenham side, De Zerbi has taken the right decision by not rushing him into action.
