Jose Mourinho has described Hugo Lloris as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League following his blunder in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
Spurs looked to be hanging on to claim three points thanks to Harry Kane’s first-half goal, but Lloris failed to deal with Eberechi Eze's free kick and Jeffrey Schlupp pounced to grab a point for the Eagles.
Asked by Sky Sports about Lloris’ part in the Palace equaliser, the Portuguese said: “My goalkeeper is the best in the Premier League.”
In his post-match press conference, Mourinho added : "My goalkeeper is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Period. So I would never be critical of the best goalkeeper in the Premier League."
Tottenham began the weekend at the top of the Premier League, and Mourinho felt it was a hard-won point - while admitting it could be seen as two dropped given how late Palace equalised.
"We have one more point than we had,” he said. “In that way, a point is a point and we know how difficult they are to get in the Premier League.
“We [also] lost two points. If I look to the last 10 minutes of the game, yes, if I look at the first 45 minutes, yes, but from 45 to 75 minutes we couldn't play or build from the back and we made lots of mistakes.
“A team like them, they can create and fight in the box. If I split the game into three parts - we lost two points."
Mourinho has suggested he saw Palace’s fightback coming, and felt his side did not execute his plan.
“At half-time I spent a good few minutes telling them what could happen in the second half,” the Tottenham boss, who earlier revealed Gareth Bale was absent due to illness , said. “These guys, to control the game [against Palace] you need the ball. If you give them the chance to put balls in the box you put yourself in the line between victory and draw.
"There are no lessons to learn. We knew what the game could be. At half-time we predicted what could happen."
Up next for Spurs is a trip to champions and title rivals Liverpool, which is followed by games with Leicester, Stoke City [in the Carabao Cup] Wolves and Fulham before the turn of the year.