HUGO OUT TO EXORCISE GHOSTS OF ST JAMES’

HUGO LLORIS returns to the site of one of his darkest days as a Tottenham player this afternoon. The Spurs keeper, 30, shipped five goals the last time he played at St James’ Park – on May 15, 2016 – and the 5-1 defeat cost his side second place in the table that season. To make matters worse, Newcastle were already relegated and played the last 23 minutes with 10 men. Mauricio Pochettino’s men return to Tyneside today with the memory of that loss still fresh in the minds of players like Lloris.

The Frenchman (left) said: “I don’t know if it is my worst moment as a Tottenham player but it is certainly one of them.

“It was a terrible moment and I still cannot explain why it happened. It belongs in the past and we will be working hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Even though it was a bad feeling at the time, in the long run I think that day helped us.

“You learn from great performances but you learn a lot more from games like that. And I think that was the case on that occasion.”

Lloris defended Tottenham’s lack of summer spending and sees it more as an exercise in maintaining team spirit.

He added: “The most important thing is to make sure we keep basically the same group of players.

“There is a real project happening at Tottenham and the board showed that last season.

“I think the manager, the chairman and the board are working this way to improve the club.”

Newcastle v Tottenham Today, 1.30pm, SS Main Event