Roberto De Zerbi could risk early James Maddison return in Tottenham vs Leeds
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Credit: Imago Fri 8 May 2026 10:30, UK James Maddison could make a much-anticipated return to Tottenham Hotspur‘s starting lineup against Leeds United.The 29-year-old has been on the bench for Spurs’ last three Premier League matches, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side now unbeaten in that time ahead of facing Leeds on Monday, 11 May.With West Ham facing Arsenal, the Lilywhites can take another important step towards Premier League survival, and if that wasn’t enough of a boost, De Zerbi has teased fans ahead of the fixture.Tottenham simply have to beat Leeds, and given the playmaker’s experience against their opponents, it might be worth risking throwing Maddison onto the pitch, rather than having him watch from the bench.James Maddison has useful experience against Leeds UnitedMaddison has experience against the Whites in both the Premier League and Championship, with Norwich City and Leicester City, and that could be very useful for the manager. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Of course, De Zerbi should make very few tweaks from the surprise 2-1 win over Aston Villa, and Conor Gallagher is holding down the attacking midfielder role very nicely.However, adding the 29-year-old’s creativity and firepower cannot be a bad thing, even as a substitute for the remaining 20 minutes, but it could come with a risk attached for the Lilywhites.Injuries have been a constant issue at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, and should the midfielder suffer a new setback to his recovery, supporters might have something else to say.What has Roberto De Zerbi said about the star’s return?According to the manager, he has been “thinking” about the playmaker for Spurs’ clash with Leeds, and supporters couldn’t be more excited about the prospect of his return to the pitch.He has also been without Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert, and add Xavi Simons, Domininc Solanke and Cristian Romero to that list, and De Zerbi has a rather difficult task.Despite all the setbacks, Spurs are looking increasingly likely to avoid the drop, despite some horrific form earlier in the season, and De Zerbi deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround.It is unlikely that his team will require Maddison to feature, especially if they repeat the performance against Villa, but it would be a huge boost to see the playmaker back on the field before the season ends.
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