James Maddison was expected to miss out on selection when Tottenham hosted Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night, a match that carried real weight in the Premier League relegation battle. Tottenham began the night one point outside the drop zone in 17th place, but a win would move them four points clear with two games left to play.
Roberto De Zerbi, who had guided Tottenham to back-to-back wins before the Leeds match, said he was not concerned about the midfielder’s situation and described Maddison as a top player. He said the issue was physical rather than tactical, adding that the intensity and rhythm of the Premier League can make the final step back into a lineup harder than it looks from the outside.
Leeds arrived having already secured Premier League survival on Sunday, which removed some of the pressure from their side of the table and sharpened the focus on Tottenham’s. De Zerbi said he was happy with the way the squad was working and insisted there were no problems in camp, even as the team tried to build on a run that had put it within reach of climbing clear of danger.
The Tottenham manager’s comments also pointed to a wider injury picture that has shaped the club’s season. Guglielmo Vicario was not available, and De Zerbi said he hoped Dominic Solanke could recover in time for the next match at Stamford Bridge, though he was unsure whether the striker would be fit for Leeds. If Solanke remained out, he and Vicario would join Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski on the injury list.
That has left Tottenham trying to piece together results with a heavily tested squad during a campaign in which injuries have repeatedly disrupted momentum. Against Aston Villa, De Zerbi made four changes from the side that beat Wolves 1-0, with Destiny Udogie returning from injury at left-back and Joao Palhinha coming in for Yves Bissouma. The predicted team to face Leeds was Kinsky, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie, Palhinha, Bentancur, Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel and Richarlison.
The immediate question is whether Tottenham can turn the latest injury pressure into a result that changes the shape of their final two matches. A third victory in a row would be the first time they had managed that all season, and in a table this tight, that would mean far more than just another good night.
