Tottenham handed major injury boost as James Maddison makes long-awaited return | OneFootball

England international has been sidelined for over a year

Maddison came on in the 85th minute as Spurs chased a late winner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 29-year-old has been out since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while playing against Newcastle in a pre-season friendly in August 2025.

Maddison had featured on the bench in each of Spurs’ last three games without being called upon by Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi has been hesitant to rush Maddison back to action, instead looking to him to provide a leadership role from the bench.

But with Spurs chasing a goal against Leeds, the Italian took the opportunity to hand Maddison his first competitive minutes since their Europa League first-leg victory over Bodo Glimt in May 2025.

Return: James Maddison

PA

Cheered onto the pitch, Maddison was heavily involved as Spurs applied all the late pressure, and came close to winning a penalty after Lukas Nmecha made a late lunging tackle inside the box.

The north Londoners spurned the chance to move four clear of West Ham, who occupy the final place in the relegation zone.