Tottenham get huge James Maddison injury boost before Arsenal clash as Igor Tudor impact clear

James Maddison could return to action just in time for the end-of-season run-in, potentially giving Tottenham Hotspur a huge boost in their fight for survival

Tottenham Hotspur have been given a huge boost ahead of the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon. James Maddison has stepped up efforts to rebuild his match fitness after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The 29-year-old midfielder suffered the injury during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in South Korea. Maddison underwent reconstruction surgery in August and swiftly began a lengthy rehabilitation programme.

At the start of December, the England international was spotted on the grass at Hotspur Way for the first time since the setback. Maddison, who was joined by a member of the sports science staff, embraced a couple of his teammates before breaking away from the first team.

A month or so later, the playmaker upped the intensity of his ball mastery sessions, twisting and turning around mannequins. Now, Maddison appears to have began training with the first team.

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In the background of a video posted to the club’s official Instagram page, the Englishman was spotted gearing up for a session with his teammates ahead of the North London Derby. Kitted out in training attire, Maddison adjusted his headband while Joao Palhinha put on his boots.

football.london understands that the Tottenham star hopes to get back on the pitch before the end of the season, but he and the club don’t want to risk aggravating the injury. Nevertheless, his return to action will come as a huge boost for Igor Tudor, who’s under pressure to steer Spurs to safety.

After a disastrous start to the year, having not yet won a Premier League game, the Lilywhites have been sucked into a relegation battle. The former Juventus boss has been tasked with climbing the table and, fortunately enough, he could have Maddison at his disposal just in time for the run-in.

Nevertheless, Tudor is focused on the task at hand. Speaking to reporters on Friday afternoon, the Croatian reflected on his first days in the job and said: “I didn’t enjoy because I’m not here to enjoy, I’m here to work.

“Enjoying is just the first moment, after that there is work to do. It’s a privilege to be here, as I said before, at this fantastic club. Also I’m very focused and concentrated to do the right things that this club, this team and these fans need.

“I’m focused on that, I’m not thinking too much about what you asked me, to enjoy,” added Tudor, before addressing the injury crisis. “It’s a very particular moment as you know, this very rare situation that you find with 10 players injured, with big injuries also.

“We made training with 13 players. It is how it is. It is not fantastic, beautiful, but in this case it’s an even bigger challenge to succeed and come out of this situation. Of course, 13 we will have for sure and it’s quite enough to achieve what we want on Sunday.

“And the first goal of all, of course I understand the importance of this game, this is a derby, a north London derby, everybody expects the three points from us.

“We are aware of this, but what was my goal in these first sessions we made is that we became a team, that we became a team in the really right meaning of the word. A team who want to suffer, we need to suffer, to fight, to run, to have the right mentality.

“This is the start. I was working on a lot of things, not everything because it’s not only football, it’s not only about that, it’s about having a clear idea of what we want to do, very specific things we want to do with the ball, without the ball, when we are pressing, when we are low.

“We work a lot but the start is always about mentality because the people come before the football player.”

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