Sat 24 December 2022, 13:15
Tottenham HotspurFor the first time in 1,024 days, there will be a changing of the guard between the sticks for us in the Premier League when we take on Brentford on Boxing Day.
Over the last two-and-half years, Hugo Lloris has been a constant for us in England’s top flight having started each of our last 101 leagues games in a row.
Since his return to action following a groin strain against Burnley on March 7, 2020 – coincidentally our final game before the 2019/20 season was suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19 – he played each of final 10 league games that campaign, was then ever-present for us in each of the next two terms before playing each of our 15 games in the competition so far this year.
However, at the Gtech Stadium on Monday, that run is set to come to an end as, following his run to the World Cup Final this month, Antonio Conte has confirmed that our Club Captain will only make the bench against the Bees with summer signing Fraser Forster stepping up to take his place.
In the course of that incredible run in goal, Hugo has enjoyed many memorable moments. Firstly, having kept 36 clean sheets across those matches, the 12th of those – coming in a 4-0 win over Burnley in February, 2021 - took the Frenchman up to a century of shutouts in the Premier League, granting him membership of the exclusive '100 Club'. He also became our record appearance maker in the competition in August, 2021, by playing his 300th league game before he made his 400th club appearance – one of just 12 players to do so in our history – in February of this year as we defeated Manchester City 3-2 at the Etihad.
He also has made some fine saves in that period. Ones of certain note include his miraculous double save to twice deny Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle at St James’ Park in April, 2021, or, just a couple of weeks later his perhaps even more impressive double save to deny Southampton’s Mohammed Salisu and Che Adams at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. His save to prevent Ilkay Gundogan away at Manchester City in February also warrants a mention while his Man of the Match performance in our 4-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park in April should also be highlighted.
As impressive as his tally of 101 consecutive Premier League starts is though, it does fall short of the competition record of 310 – a tally held by his former Spurs team-mate Brad Friedel with the American playing his 310th consecutive match at Old Trafford in September, 2012, as we ran out 3-2 winners. A week later, that run ended as, ironically, Hugo Lloris took his place between the sticks for us to make his first Premier League appearance for us and the rest, as they say, is history.
Our trip to face the Bees at the Gtech on Monday, meanwhile, will be Fraser's first appearance in the Premier League since May when coincidentally, as he played his final game for Southampton, he also lined up against Brentford in west London...
