Tottenham are set to be without goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for six to eight weeks after he suffered a knee injury in the 1-0 victory over Manchester City last Sunday.
The French goalkeeper suffered the problem in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Manchester City and will spend a sustained period on the sidelines.
Scans showed he sustained ligament damage following a challenge late in the game, though Lloris is not expected to need surgery.
Fraser Forster will now step up to the number one position as Spurs enter a pivotal part of their season over the next few weeks.
They visit Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday before resuming their Champions League campaign next week against AC Milan, with London derbies versus West Ham and Chelsea, both live on Sky Sports, also coming up.
Forster, who signed from Southampton on a free transfer last summer, has played just four times so far and made only one Premier League appearance – in the Boxing Day 2-2 draw with Brentford.
Lloris’ absence will be a blow, even though he has been culpable for a number of mistakes this season.
He has made four errors that have led directly to goals – the most in the Premier League – and will be disappointed with a number of other saves he failed to make in recent games.
The 36-year-old, who has recently retired from international football with France following the World Cup, has been a mainstay of the Spurs side since last suffering a bad injury in October 2019.
‘Being out of the spotlight may help Lloris’
Former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on Sky Sports News:
“In a nutshell. Yes [this could be a blessing in disguise].
“I’m only speculating but he has had to deal with the pressure, the disappointment and the mental fatigue of a World Cup.
“He had the disappointment of not winning it, losing in the final and he mentioned something not so long ago about the pressure and the disappointment of losing the final, and how much it has weighed on him.
“He’s come back, almost straight away, into a Tottenham side and he’s made mistakes. The spotlight is very much on him again.
“There have been question marks about his longevity at the club and whether he is still able to play at this level. All these little things play a part. They take a toll on you.
“To be out for six to eight weeks is not great for any player. It’s not the best situation but for Lloris to be out of the spotlight now. it may be a good thing.
“It may give him a chance to let things settle down a bit and for him to maybe digest the disappointment of not winning the world cup and maybe be mentally stronger and in a better place once he gets back.”
Conte flying back to the UK | Spurs yet to confirm if he will lead team at Leicester
Meanwhile, Antonio Conte is flying back to the UK today after gallbladder surgery, but Spurs are yet to confirm if the Italian will lead the team at Leicester on Saturday.
Conte wasn’t in the dugout on Sunday when Harry Kane broke Jimmy Greaves’ record to become Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer as they inflicted a blow to Manchester City’s title defence with a 1-0 win.
February 8: Leicester City (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
February 14: AC Milan (A) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
February 19: West Ham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
February 26: Chelsea (H) – Premier League, kick-off 1.30pm, live on Sky Sports
March 1: Sheffield United (A) – FA Cup, kick-off 7.55pm
March 4: Wolves (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
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