Football
PA Sport 9y

Tottenham's Hugo Lloris wants to play in Capital One Cup final vs. Chelsea

Hugo Lloris would like to don the gloves in the Capital One Cup final, despite not having featured in the competition for Tottenham this season.

After defeating Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Newcastle and then Sheffield United over two legs, the Wembley finale will pit Spurs against rivals Chelsea.

It is a match in which head coach Mauricio Pochettino faces a tough decision: stick with understudy Michel Vorm, who played all five matches en route to date, or bring in undisputed number one Lloris?

The France international has been in exceptional form this campaign and regularly skippered the side, with fellow vice-captain Emmanuel Adebayor and club captain Younes Kaboul finding game time limited.

However, the chance to lift the Capital One Cup is not something Lloris is thinking about and he will he be not be pressuring Pochettino to choose him.

"I don't know [if Vorm will play or not] -- it is the gaffer's decision," the France captain said.

"At the moment, we are not thinking about this final. The best way to prepare for this game is to take it game by game."

Asked if he would like to play, Lloris said after a pause: "Your question is really easy question to answer. Everyone [does].

"But, as I said, it is the manager's decision. There is a great mentality in the squad.

"If you play or you don't play, you are still involved and ready to help the team."

The date with Chelsea offers Pochettino a shot at silverware in his first season at the White Hart Lane helm, but before March 1 are important matches on the European and domestic fronts.

First up is a trip to Liverpool on Tuesday -- a match Spurs approach looking to avoid another embarrassing defeat to the Reds.

Brendan Rodgers' men have scored 12 goals without reply in their last three meetings with Tottenham, including a 3-0 win at White Hart Lane earlier in the campaign.

"The season is very, very long and, of course, there are some dips in the season because of performance and results," Lloris said, comparing August's loss to now.

"But I think the key is to work hard every day and that is a great working mentality in the team.

"We try to do what the manager expects and after we try to do our best on the pitch.

"It is more than individual performances -- I think we try to improve in our team performance."

The vast strides made by Spurs were underlined by the New Year's Day annihilation of Chelsea and Saturday's north London derby defeat of Arsenal.

The Harry Kane-inspired 2-1 win was well deserved and is evidence of the hard work Pochettino demands.

"We work, we work a lot," Lloris said. "We believe, as well, in his philosophy and some young players had their chance and took it.

"Now they are in the first-team and they show they are ready to fight every game, to prove [themselves].

"There is a great mentality in this squad but this season is still long. There is a lot of games, a lot of things could happen."

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