James Maddison will be available for Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the midfielder's fitness ahead of the Selhurst Park fixture. His return comes as Spurs, currently 14th, prepare to face a Palace side sitting 17th in the Premier League with just 7 points from eight games, having recorded two wins and a draw.
"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 said. The 29-year-old England international had been a doubt after limping off in the 51st minute of Spurs' 2-0 win at Chelsea last weekend. He has since missed some training sessions.
Maddison's return to the starting line-up earlier this month has coincided with an upturn in form for Tottenham. They have beaten Coventry City 3-1 and Chelsea since his comeback, moving up to 14th in the table and out of the relegation zone. His goal against Coventry marked a positive step in a season disrupted by injury. They face a Crystal Palace team whose recent form shows one win, one draw and three losses in their last five matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Fulham last Wednesday where Eddie Nketiah scored the only goal.
The playmaker suffered a shoulder fracture in Tottenham's opening-week defeat at Brentford. This followed a lengthy absence for most of the previous campaign due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. De Zerbi indicated that missing a couple of days of training would not be a problem, noting Maddison has had four or five weeks of rehabilitation work.
Since joining from Leicester City in 2023 on a five-year deal worth £40 million, Maddison has made 85 appearances for Spurs, scoring 17 goals and providing 21 assists. His creativity is seen as vital for a team looking to climb the standings. Palace, who are 17th in the table on 7 points, host Tottenham this Saturday, 31 October. Their recent results include a 2-2 draw with Beşiktaş, a 5-0 loss to Brighton, and a 3-2 defeat to Lyon, though they did beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 earlier this month.
The report in full is at BBC Sport Football
