Mauricio Pochettino: 'Paulo Gazzaniga was Tottenham Hotspur's best player'

Mauricio Pochettino has named third-choice goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga as his Man of the Match in Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 26-year-old was brought in at the Amex Stadium for just his second Premier League start in Tottenham colours, as Hugo Lloris and Michele Vorm are both nursing injuries.

Gazzaniga stepped up in the difficult conditions on the south coast, albeit being denied a clean sheet late on through Anthony Knockaert's goal, and Pochettino picked the ex-Southampton stopper out for special praise at full time.

"For me Paulo Gazzaniga was Man of the Match - he was fantastic," his compatriot told reporters. "Fantastic because the energy that translates to the team and I think his personality, his character.

"That is so difficult to play that way, and the condition of the pitch, the weather, windy, it was raining, I think for me he was man of the match.

"Maybe he didn't make an unbelievable save, but I don't know who was Man of the Match, but for me he deserved to be and I said well done to him on the pitch at the end, because the energy and feeling he translated to the team was very calm and relaxed. That is the message he sent. That is why I am so happy with him."

Pochettino also revealed that he expects club captain Lloris to return to training next week following his recent spell on the sidelines.