Former Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City Gary Lineker has heaped praise on Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after his performance against Arsenal in Sunday’s North London Derby.
However, the former England international highlighted a brutal flaw in Vicario’s game that ultimately cost Tottenham as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against their arch rivals.
Tottenham controlled possession but lacked the required spark to make any difference in the final third and were ultimately undone by a bullet header from Gabriel Magalhaes in the 64th minute.
The Brazil international rose highest to connect to a Bukayo Saka inswinging corner and Lineker believes Vicario’s unwillingness to claim crosses cost Tottenham the three points in the fiercely contested match.
“He’s a brilliant shot-stopper,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football.
“He’s brilliant on his line but teams have recognised his lack of willingness to come out for crosses, particularly from set pieces, so as you would expect they are being targeted.”
For the third time in a row, the Lilywhites have failed to get the better of their capital neighbours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and are now six points behind the Gunners in the Premier League table.
Despite Vicario’s howler, he had a decent game. He made three saves but it wasn’t enough to help Spurs come away with a positive result and it’s back to the drawing board for Ange Postecoglou’s troops.
Tottenham have now won just one of their opening four Premier League games of the season and will be hoping to bounce back from consecutive defeats when they welcome Brentford to north London this weekend.
Postecoglou’s side are expected to get back to winning ways when they take on Coventry City in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday.
The Australian manager recently made a bold claim that he always wins things in his second season and the Carabao Cup will undoubtedly be on his radar, with Spurs still waiting for their first silverware since 2008.
Stats from Sofascore.com
