Hugo’s there? IT’S LLORIS!
In-form keeper tells City to beware upbeat Spurs
Nerves of steel will be the minimum requirement for Tottenham on Wednesday night as they try to reach the last four of the Champions League.
Hugo Lloris, you suspect, will not be found wanting in that department.
spurs defend a 1-0 lead from the first leg of their quarter- final against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.
And manager Mauricio Pochettino will rely heavily on the experience of a man who has already lifted the World Cup and now badly wants to collect his first trophy with his club.
To do that, he must keep at bay a City attack packed with goalscoring potential. But Lloris has already shown his powers of recovery.
Three games ago, he spilled a last- minute cross on to Toby Alderweireld and gave Liverpool a winner. He could have folded. The opposite has been true.
Three matches, three wins, three clean sheets — and a penalty save from sergio Aguero last week enabled spurs to secure a vital win.
‘It is part of football,’ said Lloris. ‘Football is about mistakes. You have to switch off from that and switch on to another game.’
spurs demolished Huddersfield 4-0 on saturday with a hat-trick from Lucas Moura and a goal from victor Wanyama. One save from a Juninho Bacuna free-kick and that was Lloris’s day’s work.
‘It is all about challenges and it is easier when you are 32 than when you are 20,’ said Lloris. ‘When it doesn’t go your way you need to believe in yourself and keep working.’
And the goalkeeper is in no doubt about the crucial nature of Wednesday’s clash.
‘It is the type of game all players want to play in,’ he said. ‘It is going to be about details — the same as the first leg. We need experience, nerve and spirit. The spirit has been fantastic the last few weeks but you can never feel comfortable. You always need to push your limits. That is going to be the case against City.’
TOTTENHAM (3-4-1-2): Lloris 6; Foyth 6, Sanchez 7, Vertonghen 6.5 (Rose 85min); Walker-Peters 6.5, Wanyama 7, Sissoko 7.5 (Skipp 74, 6) Davies 7; Eriksen 7; MOURA 8.5, Llorente 7 (Son 87). Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Alderweireld, Marsh. Scorers: Wanyama 24, Moura 27, 87, 90+3. Booked: Foyth, Vertonghen. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7. HUDDERSFIELD (5-4-1): Hamer 5; Hadergjonaj 5, Schindler 6, Stankovic 5.5 (Mooy 82), Kongolo 7, Durm 5.5 (Mounie 69, 6); Hogg 6, Lowe 5, Grant 5, Kachunga 5; Bacuna 6 (Williams 90+4). Subs not used: Smith, Coleman, Pritchard, Jorgenson. Booked: Lowe, Bacuna. Manager: Jan Siewart 6. Referee: Lee Mason 7. Attendance: 58,308.