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James Maddison is raring to go for Tottenham Hotspur, as they gear up to face Aston Villa.

Sunday’s clash is huge for the Lilywhites, who remain two points behind West Ham in the Premier League, after the Hammers suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brentford.

A week after picking up their first league win of 2026, the chance is there for Spurs to climb back out of the relegation zone as they travel to the West Midlands for the second successive week.

Taking over after the international break, boss Roberto De Zerbi inherited an incredibly thin squad, with injury problems plaguing Tottenham for the best part of 18 months.

However, he would welcome Maddison back ahead of the recent 2-2 draw with Brighton, and the midfielder is clearly raring to go as De Zerbi’s side take on Villa.

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James Maddison shares Aston Villa memory ahead of Premier League showdown

Suffering a serious injury in pre-season last summer, Maddison has missed the entirety of the campaign for Spurs.

And despite being welcomed back to the matchday squad in recent weeks, his fitness levels overall have remained unclear, with De Zerbi opting against him as an option from the bench.

As a Coventry boy, there aren’t many bigger trips than one to Villa Park – something that Maddison has embraced throughout his career.

Taking a trip down memory lane, the 29-year-old took the chance to repost his goal in Tottenham’s 4-0 rout against the Villans back in 2022, after he finished off a stunning move in elegant fashion.

That year, the midfielder would rack up four goals and 10 assists in the league, following this up with nine and seven last term, before disaster struck over the summer.

Now, with the final rounds approaching, De Zerbi could well be set to unleash one of his star men.

James Maddison could help Tottenham out of Aston Villa rut

Heading into the clash at Villa Park, Tottenham carry a woeful record, having lost six of their last 10 against the Villans.

However, Maddison could well be the man to inflict damage on Unai Emery’s side, who have proven vulnerable in 1-0 losses against Fulham and Nottingham Forest as of late.

With his Coventry allegiances mentioned, a trip to the Second City is always one that he will relish, and this is proven with his record – having scored five times against the B6 club throughout his career.

With two assists to go with, Brentford are the only side out of the current Premier League crop to have suffered more as a result of Maddison, with five goals and five assists across 11 appearances.

Alongside this, the midfielder has won more against Villa than any other side, winning seven times during spells with Norwich, Leicester and now Spurs.

Potentially making his long-awaited return on Sunday, the occasion could be huge for the Tottenham star, who returns as the Lilywhites scrap for their top-flight security.

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Tottenham Hotspur have seen their Premier League relegation chances shift in a new supercomputer update after Saturday afternoon’s results.

The weekend’s action got off to a bad start for Spurs as they saw Leeds win 3-1 against Burnley to move nine points clear of danger.

However, West Ham were beaten 3-0 at Brentford on Saturday in a massive result in the relegation dogfight.

That loss for the Hammers means Spurs can now climb out of the bottom three with a win away at Aston Villa on Sunday.

And with Spurs having that game in hand at Villa Park to come, their chances of survival have been given a massive shot in the arm.

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Tottenham’s chances of survival increase thanks to Brentford

Roberto De Zerbi got lift-off last weekend at the third attempt as Tottenham defeated Wolves at Molineux.

That came on the same day that West Ham themselves won late on, overcoming Everton 2-1 at the London Stadium.

Spurs are in need of favours and they have now got one of those thanks to Brentford beating West Ham soundly at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It means that Tottenham’s fate is back in their own hands with four games left to play. That starts with a win over Villa on Sunday.

And according to Opta Analyst‘s latest supercomputer prediction, Spurs now have a 50.07 per cent chance of being relegated from the top flight.

That compares to 60.22 per cent prior to Saturday’s action, with West Ham’s chances increasing from 36.84 per cent to 48.84 per cent.

For what it is worth, Nottingham Forest’s chances of being relegated are considered as low as 1.02 per cent, while Leeds are at 0.06 per cent.

What are Tottenham’s chances of beating Aston Villa?

As per Opta, Spurs have a 19.1 per cent chance of beating Aston Villa on Sunday evening, compared to a 59.9 per cent chance for the Villans. A draw therefore has a 21 per cent likelihood of happening.

Interestingly, none of the last 21 Premier League meetings between Aston Villa (seven wins) and Spurs (14) have finished level.

In the competition’s history, only Chelsea against Crystal Palace (26 games between September 1997 and February 2024) has had a longer run without a draw.

The big question is whether a draw would be considered a positive result for the Lilywhites in the West Midlands.

With a home clash with Leeds United to follow, you have to say four points from those two games should be the target.

Then comes a trip to Chelsea and a visit from Everton on the final day. Thanks to Brentford’s win over West Ham, the picture looks far rosier all of a sudden.

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At the end of this long, arduous tunnel, a glimmer of hope for Tottenham Hotspur.

How badly they need it, too. The 1-0 victory at Wolves was their first in the Premier League in 118 bruising days and 16 matches, but it didn’t actually change much. West Ham’s last-gasp win against Everton consigned Spurs to another week in the bottom three.

This has been a bruising test of their mettle. Roberto De Zerbi is clearly up for the fight, but are his players? They have been battered and bloodied, but still they stand. Injuries threaten to derail their momentum for the run-in, but there could yet be a reprieve.

Indeed, De Zerbi dropped his strongest hint yet that James Maddison could make his long-awaited return to help Spurs get over the line. He was, however, unsure whether the influential playmaker would be fit enough to feature against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Maddison was an unused substitute for the win at Molineux and the 2-2 draw with Brighton, and he has been praised for his “important” role in salvaging dressing room morale.

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How important could James Maddison be for Tottenham?

Maddison did not warm up mid-match, with his inclusion in both matchday squads largely ceremonial. In fact, he was not expected to make his comeback at all this campaign. But after making staggering progress, those faint hopes could become a reality.

He is seemingly itching to make a decisive impact, a telling contribution that could prove the difference between survival and oblivion. For now, he remains restricted to a watching brief and was vocal on the bench at Wolves, especially during the nervy closing stages.

It was a testament to his sheer hunger and desire, as well as the mental fortitude he leaned on so heavily during his lengthy return from an anterior cruciate ligament rupture.

His last competitive appearance came against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals last May, before his medial collateral ligament injury saw him miss the rest of the campaign. Following a lengthy summer lay-off, he played against Newcastle in Seoul during pre-season.

Of course, disaster then cruelly struck.

Maddison, though, refused to let his ACL nightmare keep him down. He shared several behind-the-scenes social media videos during his road to recovery, including a motion capture suit designed to analyse his range of motion after his ACL reconstruction.

It appears he could now get his reward over the coming weeks.

“I don’t know [if he plays at Villa], I would like to play with him because he’s a special player,” said De Zerbi. “He’s a different player. We have to consider the physical condition, a lot of things. But I think he can be important in the next three games.”

Should the 29-year-old feature at Villa Park, it will certainly be off the bench. De Zerbi badly needs reinforcements after Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke’s respective injuries, but the Italian will also be wary of rushing Maddison back after Mohammed Kudus‘ quad setback.

What is clear is that without that trio, Spurs desperately lack a cutting edge. Maddison in particular has left a sizeable void behind that no one has been able to adequately fill.

Last season, he was Tottenham’s highest-rated player on Sofascore, with his 7.30 score placing him ahead of Son Heung-min (7.27) and Pedro Porro (7.19). He scored nine goals in the Premier League, with his xG tally of 5.83 proving his deadly nature in and around the box.

Maddison also registered seven assists and 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes. His absence has too often rendered Spurs sterile in the final third. How badly they need him back.

Since his arrival at Spurs back in June 2023, he has made 58 top-flight appearances, scoring 13 times and bagging 16 assists. It goes without saying that De Zerbi would settle for even the slightest trace of these heroics should Maddison return over the coming weeks.

Maddison will return to changed Spurs

Any club would be worse off without their main creative architect.

That was a burden Maddison was all too keen to snap up last season, when he took on the bulk of chance creation alongside Son. His consistency was crucial in guiding Spurs to the latter stages of the Europa League.

However, it cannot be denied that he will return to a Tottenham side drastically changed from that heroic European triumph. Confidence is through the floor, while the club has splintered from top to bottom. These are truly concerning times.

De Zerbi has performed admirably since his appointment, stitching back together a wounded dressing room and striking an improved balance which has set the foundations for survival. He has relied heavily on the squad’s veterans, and Maddison fits into that category.

So, while Maddison’s return will be a significant boon to Spurs, it will also serve as a haunting and untimely reminder of just how far they have fallen in a year.

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Destiny Udogie has attracted interest from Juventus, with an exit from Tottenham Hotspur possible.

Relegation will only amplify it, but regardless of the outcome of the final four games, Tottenham are in for a huge summer of recruitment.

Several players will be expected to move on, while a whole host of fresh quality will be needed if Spurs are to get back to where they should be.

Among those linked with an exit has been Udogie, with reports abroad stating that Juventus are keen on a deal.

Guglielmo Vicario has also been linked with an exit from Tottenham, and the pair could be involved in a transfer deal.

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Juventus chase Destiny Udogie transfer

A report from Calcio Mercato states that Luciano Spalletti is pushing to sign Udogie from Tottenham this summer.

The Italian has been limited to just 16 Premier League appearances due to injury, with only 10 of them being starts.

However, as a potential makeweight in the deal, Juventus are said to be willing to offer Michele Di Gregorio.

Vicario looks to be on his way out of Spurs this summer, and the Juventus goalkeeper could prove to be his replacement.

Would Michele Di Gregorio be an upgrade for Tottenham?

Based on this season alone, absolutely.

Vicario has conceded 5.22 more goals than expected in the Premier League, while having saved just 62.4 per cent of the shots he has faced.

In comparison, Di Gregorio has prevented 1.04 goals in the Serie A this season, with a save percentage of 71.1 per cent.

His distribution success rate is also significantly better, showcasing that it may be a deal worth taking.

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Tottenham Hotspur allowed Luka Vuskovic to join Hamburg in the summer.

The 19-year-old is one of the brightest centre-back prospects in world football after agreeing a deal with the North London club in 2023.

A move from Hajduk Split for the 16-year-old was a sign of intent from the Lilywhites, but he is yet to feature in a competitive game in N17.

He spent last season on loan at Belgian side Westerlo and seriously impressed before returning to North London for pre-season.

Vuskovic is now at Hamburg on loan, while we assess what we know about his deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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What is Luka Vuskovic’s contract situation at Tottenham?

It felt like a wise move to allow the Croatia international to temporarily depart ahead of the Premier League campaign.

Things have certainly worked out well in the Bundesliga, as he continues to shine for a Hamburg side close to his heart.

That has only raised his profile even higher as he continues to be seen as someone who could go on to achieve big things in the game.

Spurs have the monopoly on his signature after he put pen to paper on a five-year deal in 2023 that won’t expire until the summer of 2030.

It is reported as part of that he is paid just over £10,000 per week, equating to a yearly salary in the region of £560,000.

Vuskovic is surely seen as a priority at Tottenham as one for the future, but is attracting some serious transfer interest ahead of the summer.

Where could Vuskovic go next?

There are genuine fears that the Lilywhites could lose the young Croatian before he has played a single minute of competitive football for them.

It would be very Tottenham to have one of the best prospects in the world, but they are forced to sell him before he can even play.

Vuskovic is already attracting transfer interest from both Real Madrid and Barcelona in a deal that could be worth above £60m.

That would obviously be a stellar fee for Spurs to receive, but it would come as a blow given the expectations surrounding the defender.

He could find himself at one of the best clubs in the world next, a far cry from where the North Londoners are right now.

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Aston Villa welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Villa Park as Roberto De Zerbi’s side look to continue their survival push.

Spurs finally put their first league win of 2026 on the board on Saturday, with a goal from Joao Palhinha sealing a 1-0 triumph against Wolves.

It has been a dismal year for the Lilywhites, who are on their third manager of the season in Roberto De Zerbi.

Though with the winning drought finally over, the hopes are that they can travel back to the Midlands and repeat this feat.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash, Opta’s supercomputer has made its usual prediction.

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Aston Villa vs Tottenham outcome predicted

Despite putting three points on the board at Molineux, the mood has remained low in North London.

Not only do Spurs remain in the bottom three, but the long-term absence of star man Xavi Simons was confirmed this week, with striker Dominic Solanke also set for a period on the sidelines.

And after the latest prediction made by Opta’s supercomputer, the mood could be set to stay like this with three matches to go.

Making the trip to Villa Park, Spurs have been handed a small 19.1 per cent chance of taking victory against the Champions League chasers, while Unai Emery’s Villans have been allocated a 59.9 per cent chance.

This would continue a poor run against Sunday’s opponents, with Tottenham losing six of their last 10 league games against the Midlanders.

However, the hope is there of putting this right, given the fact that they were winless in six against Wolves before last week’s win in the Black Country.

What are Tottenham’s survival chances?

Heading into the weekend, positives can be taken given the fact that Brentford have been labelled favourites to beat West Ham, with a 54.4 per cent chance of defeating Spurs’ relegation rivals.

Though, based on the final table prediction from the supercomputer, the full picture does not look good for Tottenham.

Looking at the end of the season, the Lilywhites have been handed a whopping 58.70 per cent chance of finishing 18th in the standings by Opta, sealing relegation to the Championship.

At the same time, their chances of climbing above West Ham sit at 33.61 per cent, while any higher is reaching the single-digit numbers.

Predicted to finish below 40 points, the North London outfit are set to be relegated to the second tier if they do not pick up results quickly.

The travelling contingent will remember the 4-0 wins at Villa Park in 2022 and 2024 to go into Sunday’s clash with some hope.

And if there is a time to repeat those exploits in B6, the time is most certainly now.

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Tottenham Hotspur are one of the best teams in the Premier League when it comes to scoring from corners – but they do lack variety in attack.

Heading into Tottenham’s trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, the north London team have scored 43 goals in 34 matches.

Tottenham currently sit 18th in the Premier League table, two points behind London rivals West Ham with four games remaining.

Spurs did end their 15-game winning streak with a 1-0 victory at Wolves but there weren’t too many positives to take from their performance at Molineux.

Ahead of Tottenham facing fifth-placed Villa, Spurs fans may hope the club’s corner routine is working well heading into their final four fixtures.

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Tottenham too one-dimensional

When Joao Palhinha scored the only goal of the game at Wolves, Tottenham’s goalscoring tally from corners jumped up again.

They have now scored 15 corner goals this season, with only table-topping Arsenal (17) edging them in this facet of the game.

According to Opta Analyst, Tottenham have relied on dead balls far too heavily this term. Indeed, nobody has scored a higher proportion of their goals coming from non-penalty set-pieces (34.9%).

However, they have not scored from a throw-in or a free-kick. All 15 have come from corners. That highlights that Tottenham are effective but can be very one-dimensional.

Moreover, only Wolves have created fewer chances than Tottenham in open play all season.

The Midlands outfit are bottom of the pile for the lowest open play Expected Goals per game in the Premier League (0.52), and Tottenham are second-worst (0.68).

If they want to beat Villa, they may need to add more variety to their game. But, Unai Emery’s side may need to be wary of Tottenham’s threat from corners.

Tottenham’s difficult record vs Aston Villa

Tottenham have a hefty injury list, with the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, and Cristian Romero all sidelined.

De Zerbi does not have a huge amount of options to choose from, but Tottenham do have to get their selection right against Villa on Sunday.

Heading into this clash, Tottenham have lost six of their last 10 games against Villa, although they have won four.

Villa won this exact fixture 2-0 last season, and in De Zerbi’s four meetings with the West Midlands outfit, he has lost three and won one.

If Tottenham want to stay up, they may realistically need to beat Villa, which is a tall order given their current predicament.

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Tottenham Hotspur have a worrying record when it comes to injuries this season as they aim to beat the drop.

Heading into the final four fixtures of the Premier League season, Tottenham sit 18th in the table – two points from safety.

While they ended their 15-game winless run against Wolves last Saturday, West Ham’s victory over Everton meant Tottenham are still no closer to survival.

What has not helped the causes of Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor, and Roberto De Zerbi this season is Tottenham’s hefty injury list.

Ahead of facing Aston Villa, Tottenham could have 10 players out injured, highlighting just how tough a task it will be to stave off relegation to the Championship.

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Tottenham top injury charts

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are arguably Tottenham’s best players. But serious knee injuries have kept them sidelined for the entire season.

Mohammed Kudus has been absent for the vast majority of this year, while captain Cristian Romero is out for the season.

Tottenham’s injury list could shorten significantly as the likes of Destiny Udogie, Pape Matar Sarr, Ben Davies, and more, could return to the first-team soon.

But so much damage has already been done. Indeed, Transfermarkt points out that Tottenham’s squad has chalked up 27 different injuries this season, more than any other Premier League side.

And, they are comfortably ahead of the rest when it comes to games missed due to injury at 363.

Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Chelsea round off the top four but they have had much better seasons than Tottenham.

If De Zerbi can get any of his injured personnel back for the Villa game, that could be the difference between relegation and survival.

What team will Tottenham pick?

De Zerbi’s options are severely restricted by Tottenham’s seemingly never-ending injury list.

But Spurs still have enough quality to get a result at Villa, who have a much shorter turnaround after playing on Thursday in the Europa League semi-finals.

Tottenham are likely to name an attacking team for the Villa Park encounter on Sunday night but whether that will be enough to upset Unai Emery’s side remains to be seen.

Tottenham have lost six of their last 10 meetings with Villa and former Brighton boss De Zerbi has lost three of his four meetings with the Midlands team.

Moreover, Ollie Watkins has scored in three previous Premier League games against sides managed by De Zerbi, including a hat-trick in September 2023. Ergo, Tottenham have their work cut out.

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Sean Dyche believes that Aston Villa will need to have a stinker against Tottenham Hotspur for Spurs to stand any chance of staying up.

Roberto De Zerbi secured his first win as Tottenham boss with their 1-0 victory at already-relegated Wolves last Saturday.

That ended a run of 15 games without a win for Tottenham but they may be running out of road as West Ham and Nottingham Forest also won last time out.

Spurs are still two points behind the 17th-placed Hammers and next up face a tough test at fifth-placed Villa on Sunday night.

Tottenham will come into this Villa game the fresher of the two after Unai Emery’s team were in Europa League action on Thursday. But Dyche still thinks the hosts will edge this one 1-0.

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Sean Dyche predicts Tottenham to go down

Dyche, who was linked with the Tottenham job after Igor Tudor’s departure, cannot see Tottenham staving off relegation to the Championship.

While the former Everton manager says Tottenham have moved on from hitting “rock bottom”, they are yet to find their “mojo” despite the win over Wolves.

Dyche also acknowledged Tottenham’s “horrendous” injury situation, which is nearly 10 players strong, and if they are to survive, they need wins, and fast.

He added that against Villa, Tottenham may need a lot of good fortune, and something like Sunderland’s 5-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest would be very timely for Spurs against Villa.

He said on talkSPORT: “I do [think Tottenham will go down] now. They can’t find their groove. They can’t find that bit of mojo. I thought they’d bottomed out a few weeks ago when they just hit rock bottom, and that’s it.

“And the only way is up. You expect them to bounce and there’s just been no bounce. I’m looking at Spurs and going, ‘Who is going to pull them out of it?’

“Maybe Tottenham need something like that [the Sunderland loss to Forest]. They need maybe a Villa to have just one of those horrible days.”

What also doesn’t help is Tottenham’s patchy record against the Villans.

Tottenham’s rough record against Aston Villa

Villa won this exact fixture 2-0 last season. Moreover, Tottenham have lost six of their last 10 Premier League games against the Villans (four wins).

De Zerbi doesn’t have a great record against Villa in the Premier League, losing three of his four meetings while in charge at Brighton.

And the Italian will certainly be wary of one Villa player heading into this contest.

Ollie Watkins has scored goals in his three previous Premier League games against sides managed by De Zerbi, including a hat-trick in September 2023.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are aiming to secure successive league victories for the first time since the opening two matches of the season.

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Tottenham Hotspur will chase only their second win of 2026 on Sunday when they face Aston Villa.

Spurs were far from convincing last time out, but Joao Palhinha’s close-range finish secured a much-needed three points against Wolves – their first league win of the calendar year.

The result did little to lift the mood around the North London club, though, with Xavi Simons ruled out long-term, while Dominic Solanke is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Roberto De Zerbi, appointed over the international break, has inherited an injury-hit squad and the task of keeping Tottenham in the division is already growing tougher.

After returning to the West Midlands for a second straight week, Spurs now face another stiff test against Champions League-chasing Villa.

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Roberto De Zerbi forced to ring changes as Tottenham face Aston Villa

Simons will be a big miss for the struggling Lilywhites after the Dutchman began to find form of late.

Spearheading the push for survival, the attacking midfielder had become integral under De Zerbi, especially after his standout display against Brighton two weeks ago.

With that in mind, the Italian may have no option but to hand Mathys Tel a start, while Lucas Bergvall could move into midfield given James Maddison’s lack of sharpness after his recent return.

Tel was admired by De Zerbi during his time at Marseille, but has been used mainly from the bench since arriving at Tottenham.

The Spurs boss praised the versatile forward before the win over Wolves, hailing his “great attitude” and suggesting he could prove vital in the coming weeks, despite failing to dislodge the struggling Randal Kolo Muani.

Completing three changes, Richarlison is also set to replace Dominic Solanke, who, like Simons, was forced off at Molineux.

De Zerbi’s squad remains hit by injuries, with Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert all absent as Spurs battle for their Premier League future – a situation that might never have arisen had Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and now De Zerbi had their star attackers available.

Mathys Tel must grab opportunity as Tottenham fight for survival

Since joining from Bayern Munich in January 2025, Tel has struggled to establish himself at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With Spurs enduring a difficult 18 months, the young Frenchman has been used across the frontline without settling into a single role.

His willingness to take defenders on cannot be questioned.

Although he completed only three of nine dribbles against Wolves, he remains the only current Tottenham player capable of offering anything close to the game-breaking qualities of Simons.

Opportunities in front of goal have been limited in north London, reflecting the club’s wider struggles.

Yet when the chance comes, he can be clinical. In limited Bayern appearances, his ball-striking became a notable strength, with seven goals in 2023-24 as he outperformed his xG of 3.72 by more than three.

Often stationed wide, he is not getting into enough shooting positions at Spurs. He has hit seven shots on target from 28 attempts, compared with 18 from 43 in Bavaria, and he is again outperforming his xG, with three goals from 2.03.

If De Zerbi can move him into more dangerous areas, he could still prove useful in the closing weeks of the season. But that will require giving him confidence with a start this weekend.

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