Tottenham Hotspur finally secured their first Premier League win of 2026 with a narrow victory over Wolves—relief was evident across the squad and coaching staff. However, despite the result, Spurs remain stuck in the relegation zone.
Results elsewhere briefly worsened their situation, but West Ham United’s heavy defeat to Brentford has handed Tottenham a lifeline. A win against Aston Villa could now lift them out of the bottom three.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi remains defiant, calling on his players to give everything in the final four games. But his task has become even tougher following season-ending injuries to Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke.
Creativity Crisis Hits Spurs
Simons’ injury has left a major creative void in midfield. With Mohammed Kudus also unavailable, Tottenham are lacking vision and attacking spark at a crucial stage of the season.
This has led former Spurs star Chris Waddle to suggest a bold solution—bring James Maddison back into the starting lineup.
Waddle believes Maddison’s creativity could be key:
“We know he can create. If he’s fit and confident, he should be in the team because that’s exactly what Tottenham are missing.”
A Risky Decision
Maddison has not played competitively this season after suffering an ACL injury earlier in the campaign. While he has returned to the bench in recent matches, he is still working his way back to full fitness.
De Zerbi is understandably cautious. The club’s medical team has yet to fully clear him for action, and rushing him back could risk another setback in an already injury-plagued season.
Still, with Tottenham fighting for survival, the temptation to unleash their most creative player is growing. If Maddison can regain fitness in time, he could provide the spark Spurs desperately need in their battle to stay up.
