Steven Caulker today praised Andre Villas-Boas for giving Tottenham’s home-grown players the first-team chances he believes they were rarely granted in the past.

Caulker has been impressive since returning to Spurs from a season-long loan spell at Swansea.

The absence of Younes Kaboul and Benoit Assou-Ekotto opened the door for the centre-back and he has started the last four games, while winger Andros Townsend, who never played in the Premier League under Harry Redknapp, has made three substitute appearances in the current campaign.

“It’s important for a player to know that if you’re training well and playing well, you’ll be in the team,” he said. “It’s not nice when there are favourites. I think the manager has brought that in and I am happy.

“He has brought a few youngsters in, myself included, and he has pushed us forward. There’s a good mood in the camp and I hope that continues.

“The main thing for me is that I’m now going into the international break having played a few games for the team. I have a couple of big games coming up for the England Under-21s against Serbia and I am confident we can get two wins.”

Caulker’s first goal for the club — when Jermain Defoe’s inaccurate shot hit him and flew into the net in the 58th minute — provided the platform for Tottenham to defeat Aston Villa yesterday and claim their fourth consecutive Premier League victory. Aaron Lennon scored the second goal 11 minutes later.

Villas-Boas gave goalkeeper Hugo Lloris his first League start since joining the club from Lyon for £12million in the summer.

Lloris’s inclusion ended Brad Friedel’s run of 310 successive appearances in the Premier League.

The France international had played only in the Europa League this season but after demoting Friedel, Villas-Boas hinted that the American might be brought back for Spurs’s next game, at home against Chelsea on October 20.

“Brad was disappointed but as a great professional, he accepted the decision,” said the Portuguese. “We respect his performances a lot and I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

Emmanuel Adebayor was impressive as a second-half replacement for Defoe and will challenge strongly for a place in the starting XI when Villas-Boas’s former club arrive at White Hart Lane.

Yet the most intriguing element of the build-up to the Chelsea match is likely to involve the goalkeepers.

Both Friedel and Lloris — despite his mistake early in the second half that nearly handed Villa the opening goal — have looked secure and Caulker revealed Lloris is already able to communicate effectively with his defence.

“Hugo is learning English and he is coming along well,” said Caulker.