James Maddison is available for Tottenham Hotspur against Crystal Palace on Saturday despite the injury scare that forced him off at Chelsea, manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed on Friday — and Destiny Udogie returns too.
Spurs supporters have spent the week fearing the worst. Maddison, in only his second Premier League start of the season, was substituted early in the second half of the 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge, the latest setback in a comeback already interrupted too many times. The update from De Zerbi, reported by Reuters, ends that anxiety: the playmaker can face Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening.
"He is a special player for us"
"This week he didn't work like the other players, but for tomorrow he is available and he is a special player for us," De Zerbi told his pre-match press conference. "He has unique characteristics, different than everyone."
The manager was honest that availability is not the same as a free pass to start. "For Maddison or the players who are coming from a long injury, they have to work more than the other players, but he has already four or five weeks," De Zerbi added. "I think it's not a problem if he loses two days of training, but then we have to analyse if we take the risk or not."
Sports Mole reported the problem that forced Maddison off at Chelsea was groin-related, easing fears of another serious knee injury for a player who missed most of last season with an ACL injury and also spent time out this campaign with a shoulder injury suffered in the opening-weekend defeat at Brentford. His return to the starting line-up earlier this month was marked in style, opening the scoring against Coventry City — the kind of moment Spurs have missed while he has been absent. The scare at Chelsea had threatened to reopen the whole story covered in our earlier report on Maddison, when De Zerbi was left awaiting a medical check.
Udogie back, but the list is still long
There was a second boost on the left side. Destiny Udogie is also set to return after missing the last two games — the wins over Coventry and Chelsea — with a knee injury. De Zerbi confirmed the Italy international is available, while noting he too has to be managed carefully after an interrupted run of training since the draw with Manchester United, a game in which he made his 100th Tottenham appearance.
The absences remain substantial, however. Tosin Adarabioyo, Lucas Bergvall, Mykhailo Mudryk and Savio are all still out, alongside long-term absentees Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert, while Rodrigo Bentancur serves the final game of his suspension. It is why the return of two starters matters so much: De Zerbi's options in the No.10 role and at left-back have been stretched all month, even with Dejan Kulusevski now back in the squad after his own long road to fitness.
So what does it mean for Saturday?
Tottenham go into Saturday's 17:30 GMT kick-off in 14th place with nine points from eight league games, chasing a third straight win after Coventry and Chelsea. Palace will test exactly the areas Maddison influences: Spurs are a different side when their No.10 is receiving between the lines, and a different side again when he is watching from the stands.
The decision De Zerbi flagged — whether to take the risk from the start or protect Maddison from the bench — is now the biggest selection call of his weekend. Start him and Spurs get their most creative player for the hour he can manage; hold him back and they keep a game-changer for the final half-hour, but risk Palace settling first.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Maddison's availability is the best news De Zerbi has had all month, but it comes with a warning attached. A player who has already lost a season to his knee, and weeks of this one to his shoulder, cannot be rushed through a groin scare just because the fixture list is unkind. If Spurs manage him properly, they keep their special player for the winter. If they gamble and lose, Saturday's boost will look very short-sighted.
Should De Zerbi start Maddison against Palace, or protect him from the bench? Let us know in the comments.
