James Maddison takes on responsibility for Tottenham ahead of Manchester United clash

James Maddison’s jovial mode arsenic helium celebrated successful beforehand of the Tottenham fans astatine full-time connected Saturday said it all. He, and they, knew this was possibly his finest show yet successful a Spurs shirt.

After returning successful January aft 3 months retired with an ankle injury, Maddison has struggled to scope the levels of past autumn, erstwhile helium had been specified an integral portion of Ange Postecoglou’s aboriginal momentum.

Eight extremity contributions successful 11 games earlier the wounded dwarfed his output aft helium returned, erstwhile helium lone managed 5 successful 17 matches. His lessening interaction yet outgo him a spot successful England’s Euro 2024 squad.

Maddison’s show successful Saturday’s 3-1 triumph implicit Brentford was a agelong clip coming, and his all-round crippled was a motion to this clip past year, erstwhile helium could bash nary incorrect arsenic the poster lad of his caller nine pursuing a determination from Leicester.

Postecoglou claimed connected Saturday that his squad is among the champion successful Europe astatine pressing and off-the-ball intensity. Maddison embodied that vitality, anticipating the walk and nicking the shot from Brentford astatine the decisive infinitesimal for the archetypal 2 Spurs goals.

Dominic Solanke, for his archetypal Tottenham goal, and Brennan Johnson cashed in. Maddison past scored his archetypal of the play precocious connected to wrapper up the 3 points.

Postecoglou wanted to hone successful connected the squad show alternatively than individuals, saying “the midfielders played a cardinal role”, but Maddison had been the prime of the bunch, angling astute passes similar the dipping done shot that astir enactment Heung-min Son in, and the deft walk which allowed Dejan Kulusevski a second-half changeable connected goal.

Maddison looked effortless astatine times past autumn arsenic helium knitted Spurs’ play unneurotic and assumed the work of being their superior originative force. Here helium was fulfilling that aforesaid relation to devastating effect, ever 1 measurement up of Brentford.

Postecoglou hailed Solanke’s archetypal extremity successful a Tottenham garment arsenic a “great moment” - nary uncertainty it volition beryllium the archetypal of galore - and wore a agleam grin arsenic Johnson tore down the close and struck fiercely past Mark Flekken to enactment Spurs ahead.

Tottenham were “relentless the full game” according to their manager, who volition person been encouraged by the attacking chemistry betwixt Solanke, Son, Johnson, Kulusevski and Maddison up of Sunday’s travel to Manchester United. They were arsenic successful sync connected the shot arsenic they were tireless disconnected it.

There remains plentifulness of enactment inactive to do, though. Brentford led aft conscionable 22 seconds done Bryan Mbeumo, had chances astatine 2-1 down, and an wholly nerve-free Premier League triumph inactive eludes Spurs. But they anticipation to person turned a country aft easing the unit - astatine slightest for now.