Tottenham were one of the teams that seemed to be the favorites to win the Premier League after a brilliant start to the season. This was partly thanks to the contributions of new summer signing James Maddison, who instantly started to perform for the team.
Unfortunately, he got injured at the start of November and has since been off the pitch for the club. His absence was felt by the team, which started losing points and fell from the top four spots. And now he may come back to the team at just the perfect time.
Will James Maddison return from injury to face Man City?
James Maddison was signed for £40 million in the summer from relegated club Leicester City. He instantly had an impact at the club, with 3 goals and 5 assists as the team was on top of the Premier League. But he got injured in his ankle in a November game against Chelsea, which was quite serious, and Tottenham have sorely missed him since then. The club is currently fifth in the league table, showing the necessity of Maddison for the team.
After being injured for so long, many were starting to forget the first few months of perfect soccer at the club. But now hope has emerged, as it is confirmed that James Madison is returning to full fitness. He has recovered well ahead of schedule and is already training very hard. While his teammates were on vacation, he focused on himself to make sure he came back with the same rhythm as before.
🚨 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: James Maddison is back in full Tottenham training and could be involved in their FA Cup game on Friday against Man City. pic.twitter.com/o2Y6lwHxSu
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) January 24, 2024
Many are wondering whether he could be in the starting lineup against Manchester City. As it will be a very difficult fixture, a player like Maddison could tip the balance for the North London club. Manager Ange Postecoglou, however, dampened the hopes, saying, “He’s getting closer. He hasn’t trained with the group yet. No idea if he’ll be fit to face Manchester City in the FA Cup.”
Man City vs Spurs match preview
Manchester City will face off against Tottenham Hotspurs in a crucial FA Cup 4th round fixture on Sunday. Both teams will try their best to win the game to ensure they stay in contention to win the trophy.
Tottenham could line up in the following way, with Guglielmo Vicario as the goalkeeper and Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Destiny Udogie as the back four. The midfielders could be Pierre-Emile Hjbjerg, along with Rodrigo Bentancur and young sensation Brennan Johnson. The attackers up front will be Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and new signing Timo Werner. If James Maddison is truly ready, he could be in the starting lineup but will most probably play from the bench.
Manchester City will also have a strong team, with Stefan Ortega as the goalkeeper, and a backline consisting of Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Nathan Ake. Midfielder superstars Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Bernando Silva and Kevin De Bruyne could also be in the lineup. Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez will be the attackers. Erling Haaland’s return from injury could also see him play as a starter, as he was seen linking up with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The last fixture in December saw a 3-3 draw, but both teams will be gunning for the win when they face off on Sunday.
