• Premier League

Villas-Boas dragged into fresh Lloris row

Andre Villas-Boas has hit back after being dragged into a fresh row over Hugo Lloris' health after the goalkeeper failed a medical ahead of Tottenham's defeat to Newcastle.

Lloris was knocked out in a clash with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku last weekend, and Villas-Boas was widely criticised for allowing his visibly concussed No. 1 to stay on the field.

And he wanted to start the Frenchman in Sunday's 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane, but he did not pass an ImPACT test - which assesses memory and reaction speeds.

"Clinically and medically all the signs were that the player was ready to play," Villas-Boas told The Sun.

"It was down to the ImPACT test -- the medical staff value it a lot. They felt it was too soon and I had to stick to what they said.

"In the incident last week we did everything according to the book."

Villas-Boas still expects 26-year-old Lloris to play for France in their World Cup play-off in Ukraine on Friday.

Brad Friedel deputised against Newcastle - and watched on as his opposite number Tim Krul made a series of outstanding saves to earn the visitors a victory which Villas-Boas described as "very unfair".

"We gave the first half advantage to Newcastle, although I think we were very unlucky during all of the game," he said.

"We had so many good chances that I think the result is very unfair.

"Obviously Newcastle came in strong and really played well in the first half. I think they deserved to get that lead, I think we didn't recognise ourselves in the first half. We were not on top of our game and let ourselves be anticipated a lot. It wasn't one of our better first halves.

"Still we had some good opportunities in the first half, then in the second half if we had been a bit more lucky we could have drawn the game and gone on from there.

"Disappointing because it's not what we deserved. We gave a good response in the second half."

However, Villas-Boas saved special mention for Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul as the true hero of the game.

"Last season he had a great game here as well, and today he was the inspiration," he added. "He made the difference today."

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