Tottenham Hotspur travel to Stamford Bridge knowing that a point would all but confirm their Premier League status for 2026/27, and Roberto De Zerbi is hopeful that James Maddison will be able to play a part.
Maddison's absence as a result of a devastating knee injury sustained last August has been keenly felt, and Spurs' rotten luck on the fitness front has exacerbated the unavailability of our primary playmaker.
Xavi Simons recently succumbed to a similarly severe ligament injury and will sit out for the remainder of 2026, but Spurs will hope to have a fully fit Maddison purring for what we can only hope will be another top flight campaign next season.
The Englishman had spent weeks in the matchday squad, operating as a cheerleader on the touchline before De Zerbi handed him his first minutes of a wretched campaign late on in last Monday's then-ambivalent draw with Leeds United.
While the slickest iteration of Maddison isn't yet ready to come to the fore, we were treated to glimpses of the creator's magic, and he surely should've earned a penalty that would've given us the chance to earn all three points.
De Zerbi discloses Maddison's status for Stamford Bridge trip
Our situation suddenly isn't so desperate thanks to another late-season Geordie favour, but we'd rather have Maddison available as an option on Tuesday night than not.
As expected, De Zerbi confirmed that the Englishman, who entered the fray in the dying embers against Leeds but was treated to 13 minutes of stoppage time, isn't ready to come into his starting XI midweek.
âAt the beginning of the week, he didnât work for a small problem, but yesterday and today, James is working very well,â the Italian said. âNow, he is not ready to play 90 minutes. I want to speak with him tomorrow morning and to take the best decision with him.â
The update's encouraging, with his recovery over the weekend suggesting there will be a spot on the bench for Maddison in west London. This doesn't scream of a game where we'll desperately require his craft and ingenuity, as was the case last week, but Maddison's invention will come in handy if we're chasing the result we'd love to secure.
Anything but a defeat, which are admittedly common at the Bridge, will keep us up. Well, unless there's a 13-goal swing on the final day. Surely, such a scenario is beyond the âSpursyâ realm.