Hugo Lloris missing Tottenham's Premier League showdown against Arsenal next weekend would be a 'big blow' for his side, according to journalist Tom Barclay.
The Lowdown: Lloris an injury doubt
Spurs return to league action on Saturday lunchtime, facing their biggest game of the season so far as north London arch-rivals Arsenal welcome them to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners are currently top of the table but Antonio Conte's side are only one point behind in third place, so a win would see them leapfrog their adversaries at the summit.
However, one player who could miss the match is Lloris, with the Tottenham captain suffering from a thigh injury picked up on international duty with France.
The Latest: Journalist reacts to Lloris' potential absence
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Barclay admitted that the 35-year-old being ruled out would be an advantage for Arsenal and a significant setback for Tottenham.
The journalist said of Lloris' potential absence:
"It would be a big blow, he’s the captain as well as their number one goalkeeper.
"Fraser Forster would come in and he’s earned his move to Tottenham, he’s got lots of Premier League experience, but you can’t take away the qualities that Lloris has as both a leader and as a goalkeeper."
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The Verdict: He'd be a massive loss
Lloris has been an incredible servant for Spurs over the past decade, featuring 425 times for the club, and his vast experience could be crucial in north London derbies, given the frenetic and intense nature of such matches. Indeed, Graham Roberts described him as 'outstanding' earlier in the year, following a sustained good run of form.
The veteran Frenchman has the fourth-best save percentage in the current Premier League season with 72.7%, so to see him miss out would therefore be an enormous blow to Spurs, immediately making life harder for Conte's men and meaning that Fraser Forster would likely come in.
While the Englishman has plentiful top-flight experience of his own, Lloris has been the undisputed first-choice at Tottenham for 10 years now, and Arsenal would immediately be buoyed by that enforced change.
The hope is that Spurs' number one will be available, although he faces a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Saturday.