Spurs must drop Lloris for top 4, says Jenas

LONDON • Tottenham throw open the doors of their new stadium against Crystal Palace in the Premier League today, but the spotlight will not just be on the refurbished ground, with captain Hugo Lloris right in the firing line.

The France goalkeeper has made eight errors that have led to goals since August 2016 - only Everton's Jordan Pickford has more with nine - and his latest howler last Sunday as Liverpool claimed a last-gasp 2-1 win at Anfield was further evidence of his growing fallibility.

Former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas also feels Lloris "is not providing that kind of security at the moment", having let Tottenham down too many times.

Ahead of the Palace clash, a must-win match with the club having taken only one out of 15 points from their last five league games, he told the BBC: "In the situation Spurs are in, chasing a top-four place, they need better from their captain.

"You cannot legislate for mistakes from your goalkeeper, but Lloris has been making them for a couple of seasons now. He seems to have a reputation based on what he has done in the past."

Calling on Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino to drop the 32-year-old, he added: "Tottenham's priority now is not about sentiment... All that matters is finishing in the top four, because getting Champions League football next season is so important for the club's future."

However, former Spurs goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt has backed Lloris.

He told talkSPORT: "Two seasons ago, he was by far the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Even though they're going through a bad patch now, Tottenham don't let many goals in.

"He's a big part of that."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 03, 2019, with the headline Spurs must drop Lloris for top 4, says Jenas. Subscribe