Tottenham Hotspur have received some good news ahead of an important game as they continue their winning streak. England national team midfielder James Maddison is expected to play in the 9th round of the Premier League against Crystal Palace on the 31st (November 1, Japan time), British media ``Sky Sports'' reported. Maddison has been plagued by injuries since joining Spurs in the summer of 2023, but he scored his first goal against Coventry on Matchday 7, contributing to the team's first win of the season. In the match against Chelsea on matchday 8, he sat on the pitch immediately after the start of the second half and demanded a substitution, raising concerns that the injury might recur.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi subsequently said it was "not a serious issue", but confirmed in a press conference the day before the match against Palace that Maddison was "available". ``Madison is special in terms of personality and has unique traits,'' De Zerbi said, explaining that players returning from a long absence require more training than usual, but he has been working hard for the past four or five weeks, so missing two days of practice is not a problem. He added: ``We have to analyze whether we want to take the risk or not. We have a strong player base and it is important to avoid new injury risks.''
Maddison's return is likely to be a boost for the Spurs, who are riding an upward trend. His presence is expected to be the key to making a difference on the pitch. The match will begin at 2:30 a.m. on November 1st, Japan time, and Spurs will host Crystal Palace, whose midfielder Daichi Kamata and defender Takehiro Tomiyasu belong to the team. While all eyes are on the future development of the match, the key will be how Madison's participation will affect the team's tactics.