Tottenham get timely James Maddison fitness boost before Man City clash as Thomas Frank’s priorities emerge

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a timely lift ahead of their crucial clash with Manchester City, with James Maddison stepping up his efforts to regain full fitness before Sunday’s encounter in north London.

The 29-year-old midfielder has endured a difficult period away from the pitch. He was ruled out towards the end of last season after suffering a knee injury during Spurs’ Europa League semi-final first-leg victory over Bodo/Glimt, later confirming the setback after the club booked a place in the final against Manchester United. His recovery was then complicated in August when he was stretchered off during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in South Korea, having torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

In early December, Maddison made his first return to the training ground at Hotspur Way since the injury, working lightly with the club’s sports science staff and getting his first touches on the ball again. According to football.london, although the midfielder is keen to feature again before the season ends, both he and the club are determined to avoid rushing his comeback. Nevertheless, Maddison has recently stepped up the intensity of his rehabilitation, which will come as a boost for head coach Thomas Frank as he looks to turn Spurs’ form around.

Maddison has also been documenting his progress on social media, sharing regular updates that have drawn support from teammates and fellow professionals. His recent Instagram post, captioned “Progress in motion,” received reactions from players such as Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie and Archie Gray. Earlier, he posted training images with the message “Another day closer,” prompting encouragement from figures including Morgan Rogers, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Jordan Henderson.

While Frank is encouraged by Maddison’s progress, his priority remains improving Spurs’ domestic consistency. Speaking ahead of the weekend, the Danish coach said the team have shown greater stability in recent performances, particularly across the full 90 minutes in their last three matches, and stressed the importance of maintaining that standard going forward.

Frank admitted Spurs have struggled at times to build momentum, describing the current campaign as a transitional season that still requires ambition on all fronts. He acknowledged that expectations were higher but argued that narrow margins could easily have produced more points, insisting the team must continue to push for improvement.

He also praised Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, calling him the world’s best coach and highlighting his tactical brilliance and constant attacking adjustments. Frank warned of City’s danger across multiple areas when they are at their best but added that Spurs have identified areas they believe they can exploit.