Tony Cascarino believes Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet and Stoke City’s Jack Butland both offer more quality in goal than Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris.
Lloris, 30, came in for criticism following Sunday afternoon’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea, with Marcos Alonso scoring two minutes from time just moments after Spurs had equalised through a Michy Batshuayi own goal.
Spanish left-back Alonso’s effort from a tight angle squeezed its way past Lloris’ clutches, and the French goalkeeper should really have kept out the defender’s effort.
In his Times column, former Chelsea ace Cascarino claimed Spurs are without a Premier League-winning goalkeeper before ranking Lloris below both Butland and Mignolet as well as Man United’s David de Gea and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.
“I’m not convinced that Hugo Lloris is a Premier League-winning goalkeeper,” Cascarino said. “I think he is about the fifth-best goalkeeper in the Premier League. If Tottenham had a better goalkeeper, I think they might have won the league already.
“I think he is about the fifth-best goalkeeper in the Premier League. If Tottenham had a better goalkeeper, I think they might have won the league already.
“My top five PL goalkeepers
1. T Courtois (Chelsea)
2. D De Gea (United)
3. J Butland (Stoke)
4. S Mignolet (Liverpool)
5. H Lloris (Tottenham).”
Antonio Conte’s Chelsea took the lead in the first half, as Alonso scored his first goal of the game with an exquisite free-kick that flew into the top corner of Lloris’ net.
The win sees Chelsea bounce back after their disappointing loss to Burnley in their Premier League season opener, while Spurs’ Wembley Stadium voodoo continues.
Lloris is expected to retain his place in goal ahead of Spurs’ next outing against Burnley on Sunday.
OPINION
Cascarino’s claim that Lloris is the fifth best goalkeeper in the Premier League is very harsh, to say the least. Liverpool’s Mignolet has come under constant criticism since his move to Anfield from Sunderland, being guilty of a number of high-profile mistakes that even saw the Belgian lose his place to Loris Karius last season. Jack Butland is considered second choice to West Ham’s Joe Hart at international level, and has only just returning from a long-term injury at Stoke. Former Lyon stopper Lloris is easily on a par with de Gea and Courtois, with criticism unfounded, less than a year after he was part of the 30-man list for the 2016 Ballon d’Or. Spurs also let in the least number of goals in the entire Premier League last season.