Hugo Lloris issues Tottenham rallying cry ahead of 'decisive' Manchester United clash as key stars return

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Hugo Lloris has predicted Tottenham will be a completely different proposition when they restart the season with a fully-fit squad, but says they cannot afford another defeat in their pursuit of Champions League football.

Spurs were limping towards a miserable end to the campaign when football was suspended on March 13, with Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Moussa Sissoko and Steven Bergwijn all sidelined with serious injuries.

A run of six matches without a win saw them crash out of the FA Cup and Champions League, while they also fell seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the top-flight.

They restart the campaign against top-four rivals Manchester United next Friday, trailing the Red Devils by four points but with all their leading players back in training.

Lloris believes the resumption of fixtures will give Spurs a fresh start and says their dismal form is a thing of the past.

"We have to be honest, we are not in a good position at the moment – four points to Manchester United, seven points to Chelsea," the Spurs captain said.

"We don’t have the right to lose games. Even more when you face a direct opponent like Manchester United. We are going to start again with a very important game, maybe a decisive game for the future. This game is going to count.

"We are more or less all fit and this is a big difference. We’ve been quite unlucky in terms of injured players this season. It affected the whole squad and the performance when you miss your main players for such a long period.

"So it’s like a new season is going to start. The team will look different than a few months ago.

"There’s always winners and losers [from every situation]. We were all in different form and unfortunately the Covid came from nowhere. It is true that in this moment we were not at our best. It is fair to say that.

Captain Hugo Lloris has warned that Tottenham can ill-afford any more slip-ups when the season resumes
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

"But it belongs to the past. It is a decision taken by the Premier League but we all wanted to finish the season and now we are getting close. All teams have recovered players from injuries. It’s been a very strange season. But it has to end."

Explaining Tottenham's unhappy campaign so far, Lloris said: "Last season, we went on an incredible run in the Champions League and we finished the season on our knees and you don’t have time to recover from one season before you have to start a new one.

"And then there was the accumulation of things that provoked the situation, and then of course a lot of injured players. The change of manager. It’s difficult to stay stable and to be always looking at the top.

"There is sometimes one season when everything goes against you, but that doesn’t mean you deserve this situation. Obviously, if we are in this situation it is because we didn’t make everything to do better and the responsibility is shared between us.

"But we have to make sure it is just only one season and make sure next season we will be ready again to compete with the top teams.

In Pictures | Tottenham indoor training ahead of restart | 10/06/20

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"Maybe the consequence when you play four years making a huge effort to compete with the top teams and finish in the top four, it’s a lot of accumulation and one season there is everything you cannot control. It can happen."

While Spurs will welcome back Kane, Son, Sissoko and Bergwijn, next Friday's opponents United should have Paul Pogba available again after an injury-hit campaign.

Lloris does not doubt his France team-mate's mentality and says Pogba will do "everything possible" to ensure United return to the Champions League.

"For Paul, it’s even a longer period than Harry [Kane] without playing," the goalkeeper said. "But I know Paul and as soon as he gets on the field, he just wants to win. He’s going to make everything possible to be at his best level to help Manchester United to get the top four.

"Harry is ready," Lloris added. "In his mind he is ready and that’s the most important thing. He recovered very well from his bad injury and he is the one really looking forward to getting back into the competition. Harry is in a good place and just waiting to start the season again, like all of us."

Spurs have forecast revenue losses of more than £200million due to the pandemic and the club added to its stadium debts this month with a £175m Bank of England loan.

Mourinho is now preparing to rebuild his squad using mainly free transfers, loans and swap deals, while Chelsea and Manchester United prepare for a summer of big spending.

Lloris insists Harry Kane is now ready to go having not played since New Year's Day due to injury
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Asked if Spurs need to qualify for the Champions League, Lloris said: "That’s a question for the board, no?

"We are taking about the financials and I don’t get all the tools to answer that question. I can only talk about the pitch and for us we want to be involved in the biggest competition and it’s the Champions League.

"This is the minimum we want to play for, for the Champions League. If we don’t get it, it will be a disappointment but we will have to react straight away for the next season."

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