James Maddison 'could save Tottenham' as Roberto De Zerbi agonises over selection

Danny Murphy feels James Maddison "could save" Tottenham from their relegation plight despite missing the entire season to this point.

Spurs have been without some of their most creative assets for much of this season. Mohammed Kudus has been missing since November, while Dejan Kulusevski and Maddison have been out for the season.

The latter has begun to be named on the bench of late, being included for the last three games, but not getting on the pitch.

While his presence and passion might have added a small lift, he's obviously yet to have any impact on the field.

For Spurs to be certain to survive, though, amid a tricky situation which sees them just one point above West Ham, who occupy the final relegation place, Murphy feels Maddison needs to be reintroduced.

He said: "At the moment with Tottenham, it doesn’t feel as though they have got someone who's got that ability, and it's not when you haven't got the ball, because they're working hard enough.

"I think it's more when you've got the ball, being brave and having the ability to play free and try and make passes and play through balls and get on it when it's pressurised and the fans are whinging. Who's that person?

"I've seen him on the bench the last few games, and Maddison is the one. Maddison is the one who could save them because he is a super talent who plays free. He can be the one that fires the ammunition to the strikers, whoever it is, whether they play [Randal] Kolo Muani up there, or Richarlison.

"The problem is whether he is fit enough. Like, if he's on the bench, he's got to be close, and it might be a case that now Xavi Simons is injured, whether he's 60, 70 per cent fit, I'd be risking Madison, because he's their hope,

"Some of Conor Gallagher's best traits are his athleticism, tenacity, and fight. [Pape] Sarr is another midfielder, along with [Joao] Palhinha. If you played against those three, they're going to work, they're going to fight, they're going to run, they're going to scrap. The problem they've got at the minute is creativity.

"There's no Maddison, Kulusevski, Simons, [Dominic] Solanke, and the forward boys are looking low on confidence. Kolo Muani, who I like generally, is struggling while [Wilson] Odobert's injured. [Mathys] Tel isn't really hitting the heights they thought he would. There's not one who you can really pin and go, he's the man.

De Zerbi agonising over Maddison

New boss Roberto De Zerbi joined the club with Maddison injured, though three of the four games he's been in charge for, he's named him in the squad.

It could be that he wants Maddison to be seen, as his passion amid the relegation fight has been clear, but the manager has suggested he's agonising over whether to pick the attacking-midfielder.

Ahead of the Monday night visit of Leeds United, he said: "I'm thinking about James Madison because I'm watching a top, top player. Maybe he's not ready yet to play, but as a physical condition, not for the rhythm, for the intensity of the game. We are playing in the Premier League, the most difficult league in terms of intensity and rhythm."