Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur and Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are fighting for the Premier League title this season, and the fourth spot is up for grabs.
While Manchester United are not entirely out of the running, it does now look as though it will be between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
Spurs are fifth with 50 points from 26 games. Villa, now managed by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, are fourth with 55 points from 27 games.
Villa will take on Tottenham at Villa Park in the Premier League next weekend, and former Newcastle United and West Ham United manager Alan Pardew believes that James Maddison will come under focus.
The talkSPORT pundit has praised the £40 million (Sky Sports) England international attacking midfielder for his performance against Crystal Palace this past weekend.
Maddison provided an assist. Spurs won the London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 3-1.
Alan Pardew on Tottenham Hotspur playmaker James Maddison and Aston Villa
Former West Ham United manager Pardew has said that Maddison is not a player who can be man-marked, and he believes that Villa will try to nullify him next weekend.
Pardew said about Maddison on talkSPORT (8:23 pm, March 3, 2024): “Maddison, I thought, he was terrific. You know, somebody who is looking and trying to find solutions, the whole game he is trying to find a way through the lines or trying to find a way through the back-four. He is looking for that incisive pass, he is looking for a moment to change the game. I loved that about him yesterday.”
The talkSPORT pundit added: “The one thing that I will say about him which makes him difficult is that you can’t man-mark him. You know, like sometimes that number 10 guy. you can like get your sitter to stay with him like for 95% of the game, 90%. But he drifts all over the place. He goes into the back-four, he becomes a problem.
“You can’t designate somebody for him. Do you know what I mean? He is somebody you have got to put under pressure when you play Spurs. And, I bet your life Emery at Villa are making sure they are looking after him next week.”
My View: James Maddison is one of the best playmakers around
In my opinion, Tottenham Hotspur and England international attacking midfielder James Maddison is one of the playmakers around.
The 27-year-old has been superb for Spurs this season and has been one of the North London club’s most influential players.
Maddison has scored three goals and given seven assists in 16 Premier League games for Spurs this season. He will have to stay fit and on top of his game in the coming weeks and months for Ange Postecoglou’s side to end up in the UEFA Champions League places.
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