James Maddison says £25m Crystal Palace player was mouthing off at him on Sunday
Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison has now told how one Crystal Palace player was trying to disrupt his game on Saturday.
Maddison, who has already become such a crucial part of Ange Postecoglou’s project, is always going to be targeted by opposition teams.
Whether it’s double-marking, tough-tackling or just flat out tomfoolery, opposition players will look to disrupt the England international in any which way they can.
Maddison has an incredible influence in the number ten role, and if he’s left to freely play his game then he will decide matches.
That being said, it seems one Crystal Palace player quickly realised that he needed to at least attempt to unsettle Maddison on Saturday.
Speaking after the game via WeAreTottenhamTV, Maddison said that Palace’s Jefferson Lerma tried to deploy similar tactics to Neal Maupay did in the past.
Lerma has incidentally been a very good signing for Palace, especially considering he joined on a free transfer having moved to Bournemouth for £25m in the past.
But judging by Maddison’s words, the Colombian’s game plan didn’t quite work on this occasion.
Tottenham star James Maddison says Palace’s Jefferson Lerma tried to unsettle him on Saturday
Speaking after the win, Maddison did admit that he often tries to do the same thing.
He said: “Well, there’s a guy at Brentford called Neal Maupay who tried it! I’m only joking.
“You get that even today, Lerma today was giving me a little bit today. I take it as a compliment, he’s trying to stop me, he didn’t quite manage it.
“But they are going to try and do anything to put you off your game at this level, there’s such fine margins and so much at stake for all clubs, that sometimes you need to do that and I will do that as well!”
Of course, this is something the midfielder will have to get used to as he recognised in his words.
But ultimately Maddison will just be so relieved that his Tottenham side were able to secure three points against Palace, especially with Aston Villa on the horizon this weekend.
And ahead of that crucial game in the race for the top four, Micah Richards has now been pointing out a young Spurs player he believes is becoming a big difference maker.
