James Maddison Returns for Tottenham Against Everton

James Maddison is back in the frame for Tottenham, with Roberto De Zerbi confirming the midfielder is ready to be involved against Everton after a brief spell on the sidelines.

Maddison has missed Spurs’ last three matches in all competitions with a shoulder problem, but has now been passed fit and is expected to feature in some capacity as De Zerbi looks to sharpen his side’s attacking edge.

While Maddison returns, Dejan Kulusevski stays stuck on the outside looking in. The Swede has not trained over the past week and remains unavailable, his comeback stalled by what the head coach described as a minor setback following his long battle with a knee injury that kept him out for more than a year.

No, Kulusevski is not working with us the last week,” De Zerbi said. “It’s not a big problem. It’s a normal problem.

The news is no better for Mykhailo Mudryk. The winger is also out after what De Zerbi bluntly labelled a “stupid injury”, with the club choosing caution as they manage his fitness following a lengthy period without consistent game time.

It was a stupid injury for Mudryk, but we hope he will be back soon,” De Zerbi added. “It’s a normal process when a player has not played in a long time.

Maddison’s return, set against the absences of Kulusevski and Mudryk, hands De Zerbi both a lift and a headache as he pieces together his attacking options for Everton.