Ange Postecoglou confirms major Tottenham injury boost ahead of Man City FA Cup clash

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed he will have James Maddison 'available to start' when Tottenham host Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday night.

Maddison suffered a serious ankle injury during Tottenham's 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in November and has missed almost three months of football. The 27-year-old's return had long been tipped for January and he was pictured in training earlier this week.

Spurs host City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and will be without captain Heung-Min Son, who is away with South Korea at the Asia Cup. But Postecoglou confirmed he will have Maddison back and available, meaning he could start against the Blues.

"Everyone’s ok from the last game," he told reporters on Thursday. "Deki [Dejan Kulusevski] has recovered from illness. The boys had four days off last week, which was good. Madders [Maddison] has been training with us, and has had a full training week. He’s in a good place. Ben [Davies] and Dane Scarlett have just started with the group."

Postecoglou then added that Maddison was 'available to start' but confirmed Giovanni Lo Celso, Manor Solomon and Alejo Veliz remain unavailable for his side's cup clash.

Tottenham have missed Maddison's creative spark in midfield and the former Leicester City man had been one of the best signings of the season before picking up an ankle injury. Three goals and five assists had him as one of Spurs' most important players up until that Chelsea game.

Having been eliminated from the Carabao Cup, progression in the FA Cup represents Tottenham's best chance at a trophy and Postecoglou is expected to name his strongest possible side for the visit of City. That will almost certainly see Maddison in from the start.

Pep Guardiola confirmed a fitness boost of his own on Thursday, with John Stones set to be involved with the squad and Ederson okay after an injury scare against Newcastle. Erling Haaland has been back in training this week but will not be ready in time for the trip to London.