Spurs must prove they can win title, says Lloris

HUGO LLORIS has told his Tottenham team-mates that now is the time to prove their potential as title contenders when they attempt to put the 2-1 Monaco defeat at Wembley behind them.

The Champions League at the biggest stadium in the country should have been be the perfect stage for a talented young Spurs team but the goalkeeper and captain insists they will need to learn from their midweek mistakes, get back on track against Sunderland at home today and prove they are capable of winning the title.

Lloris (right) said: ‘We used to say that a big team doesn’t lose twice in a row and we are a big team. That is important and it is important to bounce back.

‘We know we have great potential. It is a good opportunity to play Champions League and show in Europe Tottenham are growing up and going in the right direction.

‘But we are aiming to do better than last season. We can always look forward as we are young with good potential but it is not enough to say it. We need to go out and show it. ‘We started well in the Premier League and need to carry on — and hopefully we will bounce back in the Champions League. We have to show the right face of this team. ‘Mistakes are part of football but it is the way you react with positivity after. We had good opportunities and chances against Monaco. It is true that our squad is a lot more competitive than last season and we need to keep working.’

Despite being a Frenchman, Lloris has demonstrated a degree of Anglo-Saxon pride, saying he is embarrassed by the Premier League’s failure in the world’s elite club competition.

‘We know it is very, very difficult to compete in the Premier League but I am fed up of hearing that Premier League clubs don’t do well in Europe,’ he said. ‘We want to change that. Arsenal drew, City and Leicester won, we need to be focused on ourselves. Monaco didn’t have any chances but they scored twice from mistakes. So we need to learn.’

Tottenham welcome back Mousa Dembele after his six-match ban for gouging Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge which saw Spurs lose their heads against Chelsea as their title hopes disappeared last term. And Lloris says his return will lift the team.

‘It wasn’t an easy situation for Mousa, for sure. He trained hard in pre-season but was frustrated not to have the opportunity to compete and play games. But he is important for us and will add his quality.’