James Maddison has described Tottenham Hotspur's involvement in a final-day relegation battle as 'a little bit embarrassing', but stressed that retaining their Premier League status is 'non-negotiable' for the club.
Defeat at Chelsea leaves Spurs in peril
Spurs missed the chance to secure top-flight safety on Tuesday evening, losing 2-1 to London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. A single point would have relegated West Ham United due to Tottenham's vastly superior goal difference, but the fight now goes down to Sunday's decisive home match against Everton. A win or a draw will guarantee survival.
Maddison, who made only his second appearance since returning from a serious knee injury, played the final 21 minutes. He admitted the situation is far from ideal for a club of Tottenham's stature.
'It's non-negotiable,' Maddison told reporters. 'We have to get over the line for this club. We've got to give everything for the badge and for our fans. It is unacceptable and a little bit embarrassing that we're in this position as Tottenham Hotspur, but it's the reality unfortunately, and it's up to us to get out of it.'
Fans praised despite disappointment
The midfielder also hailed the travelling supporters, who continued to sing even when trailing 2-0. 'Sunday is going to be a big day,' he added. 'We're going to need everyone, we're going to need our fans, who were absolutely unbelievable today. Even at 2-0 down you could just hear them, and I genuinely think we've got the best away support in the league. We need to repay them with a good performance and some points on Sunday to secure Premier League survival.'
Match action and controversial penalty decision
At Stamford Bridge, Tottenham started brightly, with Mathys Tel hitting the post. Chelsea took the lead through a superb 30-yard strike from Enzo Fernandez. The first half remained evenly contested, but a costly wayward pass from Randal Kolo Muani in the 67th minute allowed Cole Palmer to break free, leading to Andrey Santos firing home Chelsea's second goal.
Maddison was about to come on just before the second goal. Despite Richarlison pulling one back with 16 minutes remaining, Maddison himself was denied by an excellent Jorrel Hato block. Tottenham were also controversially denied a penalty when visiting captain Micky van de Ven was brought down by Marc Cucurella, who received a booking. However, referee Stuart Attwell ruled the foul occurred before the ball was in play, ordering a retake of the corner.
Maddison's fitness and Sunday's crucial clash
Addressing his fitness and potential playing time for Sunday's crucial match, Maddison—who suffered a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament in August—told Sky Sports: 'Well, anyone who has worked in football or has been through this injury knows it is not as easy just to drop back in. It would be catastrophic for my career if something was to happen and we weren't safe or followed the protocols from the specialist, but obviously I want to help the team as much as I can. Obviously I've been out for a long time so I'm not going to be at my fluid and fluent best, but I feel good and I've just got to try to help the team with whatever many minutes I can.'
The upcoming fixture against Everton at home represents a pivotal moment for Tottenham, with their Premier League future hanging in the balance. A win or a draw will secure safety, while defeat could see them relegated depending on other results.
