James Maddison was forced off in Tottenham’s London derby with Chelsea on Saturday afternoon, only days after making his first start for Spurs since May 2025. He had just scored and starred in the 3-1 win against Coventry, which had looked like the start of a proper return to rhythm. Instead, the Chelsea vs Tottenham game brought another interruption.
Maddison's return was brief
The immediate frustration for Tottenham is obvious. Maddison has only 5 Premier League appearances this season, which is a small enough return to show how stop-start his availability has been. His 6.84 average rating points to the quality he can still offer when fit, but that has rarely been the issue. Getting him onto the pitch has been the problem.
His first Tottenham start since May 2025 came against Coventry, and he made it count with a goal and a strong display in the 3-1 win. That should have given Spurs a bit of continuity in attack. Instead, the club are back where they were too often last season, waiting on another setback after a player who had only just got back into the side.
Tottenham's wider injury burden
The broader concern is that this comes with Tottenham already under pressure. They are 17th in the Premier League, with 6 points from 7 league games and a goal difference of -4. Losing an attacking creator in that position is awkward at best.
Chelsea, by contrast, were 4th with 13 points from 7 games, which helped make this a demanding derby before Maddison went off. Spurs do not need a long injury list to tell them that they are short on margin already, and this latest blow only adds to that strain.
What happens next depends on the extent of the injury, which Tottenham will wait to learn after the derby. For now, the main fact is simple enough: Maddison had only just returned, and another spell on the sidelines now looks possible.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
