Crystal Palace were defeated 3-1 by Spurs last weekend and now Jefferson Lerma’s plan to stop his opposite number has been revealed.
Despite the euphoric highs Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner experienced as Eberechi Eze‘s free-kick found the back of the net.
However, this quickly was forgotten as Spurs came back to win 3-1 in the end to hand Glasner his first loss.
For the most part, though Palace managed to keep Spurs quiet and disregarding the final 15 minutes of the 90, defensively did well.
But now, James Maddison – who joined Spurs last summer for £40m – has revealed how Palace ace Jefferson Lerma attempted to stop him from performing.
James Maddison reveals what Jefferson Lerma did to try and put him off
Speaking after the game with WeAreTottenhamTV, Maddison explained that Palace’s £70k-a-week midfielder had been giving him stick on the pitch in an attempt to put him off.
“You get that even today, Lerma today was giving me a little bit today. I take it as a compliment, he’s trying to stop me, but he didn’t quite manage it.
“But they are going to try and do anything to put you off your game at this level, there’s such fine margins and so much at stake for all clubs, that sometimes you need to do that and I will do that as well!”
Maddison may sound confident, but for the opening 70 minutes, Lerma’s tactic was working as Spurs struggled to create anything of note.
Lerma is becoming one of Crystal Palace’s most important players
After not being too impressive under Roy Hodgson, Lerma has quickly transformed into an absolute star for Glasner.
The man of the match in his Glasner’s first game, Lerma continued against Spurs in this form although it didn’t end that way on the scoresheet.
Against Luton however, Lerma will be expecting to drive Palace back into the win column as he makes the absence of Cheick Doucoure feel far less substantial than it did previously.
