James Maddison a Major Doubt for Tottenham’s Chelsea Clash

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is a major doubt for Saturday's Premier League trip to Chelsea, with manager Roberto De Zerbi saying he does not want to take any risks with the 29-year-old.

Maddison scored the opening goal in Monday's 3-1 home win over Coventry City, his first start in 536 days. It was also Spurs' first league win of the season. But he then sat out team training for the next three days, and De Zerbi is not sure he will be ready for Stamford Bridge.

"In the first three days Maddison didn't work with us," De Zerbi told a press conference on Friday. "I don't know if he's ready for tomorrow. I don't want to take risks because if you analyse this period of football you can see many injuries, not just for Tottenham."

There is some good news for Spurs. Pedro Porro, Andy Robertson and Omar Marmoush are all available, and De Zerbi says that gives him plenty of options in the same area of the pitch.

"We can also play with Mathys Tel, with Omar Marmoush inside, with (Conor) Gallagher," he added. "We have more solutions considering Pedro Porro can play. We are lucky because in the same position we have many solutions. We have to find the best for him and the best for us."

Tottenham still have a few names on the sidelines. Winger Savio, midfielder Lucas Bergvall and left-back Destiny Udogie remain out, while Dejan Kulusevski is uncertain after coming back from a 526-day absence of his own.

The table makes the game an important one. Sixteenth-placed Spurs face a fourth-placed Chelsea side that is chasing a seventh straight league win over their London rivals. History is not on De Zerbi's side either, as Tottenham have won only once in their last 41 visits to Stamford Bridge in all competitions.