Gary Lineker gets slated on Twitter for Tottenham comment, he’s later proven right

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Gary Lineker copped some criticism on Twitter for a comment he made about a Tottenham Hotspur player early on during their Champions League game – and he was later proven right.

Spurs welcomed Bundesliga title hopefuls RB Leipzig to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night in their Champions League last-16 first leg.

Jose Mourinho’s charges were hoping to make the most of their home advantage but now have it all to do in the second leg as the visitors ran out 1-0 winners, courtesy of a Timo Werner penalty in the 58th minute.

Indeed, the scoreline ended up flattering Spurs, who were second best throughout, with Hugo Lloris denying Leipzig time and time again with a superb goalkeeping display, though he was very much powerless to keep out Werner’s spot kick.

Right from the off, Lloris was in inspired form, pushing Angelino’s effort onto the post and then saving from Werner in the first minute, later denying the latter from point-blank range, and after Leipzig’s goal, he then made a superb block against Patrik Schick.

Lineker tweeted the following at 20:04:

Received some comments disagreeing with him (a small selection below):

But come full time, Lloris was indeed awarded the Man of the Match award (UEFA), England manager and UEFA technical observer Gareth Southgate saying: “He made three or four big saves to keep Spurs in the game.”

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Lloris may have had the odd poor game from time to time, as all goalkeepers – all footballers, in fact – do, but the quality is always there – you wouldn’t be lifting the World Cup as captain otherwise.

The 33-year-old stepped up to the plate on Wednesday night and prevented Spurs from suffering a much worse defeat, and with just one goal in it, Mourinho’s charges are still very much in with a chance in the second leg.

The problem lies at the other end of the pitch – with two of Tottenham’s main forwards out, the North Londoners will have their work cut out when it comes to breaching the opposition’s defence three weeks down the line.