James Maddison Returns for Tottenham vs Everton Clash

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

Maddison has missed Spurs’ last three games in all competitions with a shoulder problem, a frustrating interruption just as he was beginning to knit the attack together again. The medical team have now cleared him to return, handing De Zerbi a significant creative boost ahead of a physically demanding meeting with Everton.

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While Maddison steps forward, Dejan Kulusevski steps back. The Swede will remain out, having not trained at all over the past week. His long-running knee issue had seemed to ease when he finally returned to training, but a minor setback has halted that progress.

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 message is calm, but the absence still stings. Kulusevski’s work rate and left-footed balance on the right flank have been central to Spurs’ structure, and another delay keeps De Zerbi juggling his attacking options.

Mykhailo Mudryk is also unavailable. De Zerbi did not hide his irritation, describing it as a “stupid injury” and pointing to the risks that come when a player is thrown back into regular action after a long spell without it.

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

So Tottenham head into Everton with Maddison back, Kulusevski and Mudryk out, and De Zerbi once again reshaping his front line on the fly.