James Maddison Is Available For United, But Fitness Concerns Continue

Tottenham Hotspur return to action following the extended international break, with Roberto De Zerbi's side travelling north to face a Michael Carrick side that’s finding themselves under pressure following an inconsistent start.

Spurs sit bottom of the Premier League with just two points from their opening 5 game; United, however, sit above them in 12th on 5 points. A win for Tottenham tomorrow at Old Trafford could kick-start their season and go level with Carrick’s side.

While several players have been out on international duty, others stayed behind at Tottenham’s impressive Hotspur Way training facility; Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammad Kudus, and Destiny Udogie all worked on their fitness and conditioning, as did England International James Maddison. The former Leicester City attacking midfielder has had an inconsistent period at Tottenham since his big money move from the Foxes.

People like myself have called for ‘Madders’ to come back into the starting eleven, thanks largely to the fact Spurs have struggled massively in front of goal, but also to his ability to unlock defences. Maddison has the skill and technique to cause teams trouble; however, the biggest concern right now is his inability to stay fit for an extended period of time. Speaking during Friday lunchtime's pre-match press conference, Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Maddison is available for selection, but he did miss several days due to ‘pain and discomfort’ during the international break.

"He (James Maddison) is available, but he lost three or four days at the end of last week. James is a special player for us. As a player and personality. Also, Gallagher is playing well, especially against Liverpool and Aston Villa." The Italian Head Coach said.

The concern is how the number 10 is able to stay fit, while clearly not his fault and the frustrations are evident for him and those at Tottenham; questions will continue to be asked about his longer-term future in North London. He agreed to a 5-year deal in July 2023, meaning his contract expires on June 30, 2028, making this a critical season if Tottenham are looking to renew.

Questions will also continue to be asked with the emergence of Luca Williams-Barnett, who can effectively operate in the number 10 position; Omar Marmoush can also; once Xavi Simons returns from his ACL injury, then the Dutch international can operate there, as does Swedish International, Dejan Kulusevski, with some believing that’s his best position. Maddison will face competition for the position, and while he isn’t one to shy away from that, his current inability to stay fit is a big worry heading into a really important period for Tottenham. Roberto De Zerbi and Spurs need three points, and ultimately they need a fit, effective number 10 pulling the strings.