Pochettino: Stress from drunk-driving charge may have caused Lloris' injury

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes the fallout from Hugo Lloris' drunk-driving charge may have contributed to the thigh injury he suffered against Manchester United.

"He was under stress during the game against United. I think the added stress maybe created the injury," Pochettino said, according to the Guardian's David Hytner.

Lloris was fined £50,000 by London police and two weeks' wages by Tottenham after pleading guilty to drunk driving earlier this month.

Pochettino emphasized to reporters following Tottenham's defeat at Inter - the fifth match Lloris has missed for club and country - that the 31-year-old doesn't have a drinking problem.

"The injury is helping him to take time and think and be a little bit more relaxed," Pochettino said. "To compete after what happened was a massive stress for him."

Lloris is expected to miss Saturday's trip to Brighton & Hove Albion and next Wednesday's Carabao Cup meeting with Watford. A return the following weekend against Huddersfield has yet to be ruled out.