Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea from White Hart Lane.
He's been keen to stress that revenge will not be on his mind today, but you get the impression Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boas would love to turn over the Blues, who sacked him after only a few months at the helm last season.
The hosts do not have the best of records against Chelsea though.
Can they reverse their recent fortunes? Stay tuned with us to find out.
2.42pmWell that is about as far as we go. Not that Sports Mole's coverage of the Premier League stops there. Stay tuned on the site for coverage of three of the 3pm kick-offs.
2.40pmSpurs certainly gave Chelsea a scare after the break, but that is all it proved to be. With the likes of Mata and Hazard in your team, you're always going to create chances and so it proved. That is a warning to all of Chelsea's title rivals.
2.38pmFULL TIME: Spurs 2-4 Chelsea
90+2 minIncidentally, we are playing four minutes of stoppage time. That won't be enough for Spurs.
90+1 minGame over. Spurs fans head for the exits after Mata robs Walker of possession on the byline, before squaring the ball to Sturridge for the most simple of tap-ins. Chelsea have sent out a real message today.
90 minGOAL! Spurs 2-4 Chelsea (Sturridge)
89 minSAVE! Cech more than makes up for that error just moments later though when he dives full strength to deny Walker from close range.
88 minCHANCE! You lucky, lucky boy Mr Cech! The Chelsea keeper flaps at a cross from Defoe and the ball runs lose. However, Adebayor wasn't expecting that and the striker doesn't react quick enough.
86 minCHANCE! That really should be game, set and the match for Chelsea. Mata's through ball is dummied by Cole for Torres, who is left with Friedel beat. However, his curling effort misses the target. The Torres of old would have buried that in his sleep.
85 minSAVE! Lennon forces Cech into a routine save with a rising shot from the edge of the box. Either side of Cech and the goalkeeper may have had problems there.
83 minSUBSTITUTION: Oscar takes his bow and is replaced by Chelsea's forgotten man Daniel Sturridge.
82 min...But Sigurdsson floats an effort over the bar. That sums up his afternoon to be honest.
81 minFree kick to Spurs 20 yards from goal as Defoe goes down. Big chance for the hosts...
79 minIt's now Chelsea's turn to do some defending as Spurs begin to take control of the possession. I'm not sure which way it's going to go, but there's another goal in this game that's for sure!
75 minSAVE! Friedel gets down well to tip Oscar's skidding drive wide of the target. Meanwhile, up the other end Sigurdsson fires high, wide and not very handsome.
74 minSUBSTITUTION: Chance for Adebayor to prove his worth as he takes the place of Dempsey.
73 minAnother point that needs to be made about Chelsea's goals is the fact that Gallas has had a hand in all three. He may have scored at the other end for Spurs, but these three errors could prove costly.
71 minWhat a turnaround! You will not see many better passes then the one that Hazard produces to slip in Mata. From their the attacker draws out Friedel, before slotting the ball inside the American's near post. It's a real classy finish from a classy player. Spurs look shell-shocked!
69 minGOAL! Spurs 2-3 Chelsea (Mata)
68 minSUBSTITUTION: Spurs coach AVB reacts to the leveller by taking off Huddlestone and bringing on Jake Livermore.
67 minWhat did I just say?! Spurs are deep inside their own box and as Gallas's clearance only finds Mata on the edge of the box, the Spaniard drills into the bottom corner of the net. It's a really good finish from a player who now has five goals in his last five games.
66 minGOAL! Spurs 2-2 Chelsea (Mata)
65 minChelsea are now seeing more of the ball as Spurs begin to sit a little deeper. Could end up being a dangerous ploy by the hosts. We shall see...
62 minSAVE! Cech has been a busy boy this half! On this occasion he collects a low effort from Brazilian midfielder Sandro. Incidentally, Sandro's only goal for Spurs came against Chelsea.
60 minI really cannot believe how much this game has changed! Spurs are now in complete control, while Chelsea look clueless. Of course there is still time for this to change, but it looks worrying for the away side at the moment.
56 minPENALTY APPEAL! Strong claims from Chelsea as Cole goes over the trailing leg of Gallas. I've seen them given but referee Mike Dean is not interested. Unsuspectingly, Cole is not happy with that decision!
55 minIf you are looking for a goal that sums up Defoe, this was it! Lennon scuffs a shot but England international Defoe reacts quickest and diverts the ball beyond Cech from eight yards out with a smart finish. That is what the 30-year-old is all about. What a turnaround. Not even the most loyal of Spurs supporter could have predicted this at the break!
54 minGOAL! Spurs 2-1 Chelsea (Defoe)
51 minSAVE! Sigurdsson is involved in everything at the moment! This time he sees a powerful strike well held by Cech. Whatever AVB said during the break has worked - his side have been transformed!
50 minCHANCE! Branislav Ivanovic didn't know much about it but he somehow diverts Sigurdsson's goalbound volley over the bar and out for a Spurs corner, which comes to nothing.
49 minAnd that goal has woken up the Spurs faithful. The team also look inspired. The next goal in this clash is crucial.
47 minWhat a start to the second half for Spurs! Huddlestone's deep cross is played across goal by Jan Vertonghen for Gallas, who glances a header into the net. It's his first goal for Spurs and it has come against his former club. Wakey, wakey Chelsea!
46 minGOAL! Spurs 1-1 Chelsea (Gallas)
1.49pmAnyway, back to the football. Chelsea get the second half underway...
1.48pmHave to confess that I can't recall them, but Spurs actually had seven shots during that half - with on target. Meanwhile, Chelsea managed to get two of their four on target.
1.37pmWhile we wait for the second half, why not give our half-time report of all the action from White Hart Lane a read?
1.35pmWell AVB is not going to be happy with what he has seen there. His side have been dominated for pretty much the whole half. His opposite number Di Matteo will be pleased with the way that his side have played so far, although Mata should have put them two goals up just before the break.
1.34pmHALF-TIME: Spurs 0-1 Chelsea
45+2 minBOOKING! Now Ramires receives a caution as the Chelsea man brings down Lennon on the halfway line.
45+1 minBOOKING! Tottenham's Kyle Walker is cautioned as he hacks down Ramires inside the Chelsea half. It's one of those 'take it for team' bookings as Ramires was away there.
45 minThree minutes of stoppage time to be played...
43 minSpurs are ending the half brightly with a number of crosses going into the Chelsea box. However, the away rearguard has held firm and cleared everything that is thrown their way.
40 minBOOKING! Gallas is the first to have his name taken following a late and needless challenge on Torres. Bit of frustration coming out of the former Chelsea man there.
39 minCHANCE! It really should be 2-0 to Chelsea. Friedel does well to deny Juan Mata, but when the ball arrives back at the left foot of the Spanish international, he shoots well over the bar with the goal at his mercy. That's a let off for the hosts.
35 minTalking of Sigurdsson, am I the only one to have been disappointed with the Iceland international so far this season? He was a revelation at Swansea City, but is yet to replicate that form. Second-season syndrome maybe?
31 minCHANCE! I reckon Lennon has been reading this commentary! Suddenly the pint-sized winger springs into life and beats Ashley Cole down the right. His looping cross falls to Sigurdsson at the back post, but the angle is against him and he drags a low effort into the side netting. Better from Lennon and Tottenham.
28 minStill Chelsea are in command here without really looking like adding to their tally. The Defoe shot aside, Spurs have not looked threatening at all.
25 minA good run from Aaron Lennon is ended by David Luiz inside the Chelsea box. That's better from the England winger, who has not been in the match so far. With Bale otherwise engaged, Spurs need the nippy Lennon to step up.
22 minGoing back to that stunning goal - it's no more than Chelsea deserve. The Blues have controlled most of this encounter and have looked the more threatening. As expected, Spurs are missing Bale's direct style. If this carries on into the second half, surely the physical presence of Emmanuel Adebayor will have to be added.
19 minSAVE! Instant response from Spurs as Jermain Defoe forces Cech into a low save from the edge of the area. The rebound looks to be heading for Clint Dempsey, but Ashley Cole nips in to clear the danger.
18 minWhat a stunning strike from Gary Cahill. Gallas heads clear a corner, but the defender can only find Cahill on the edge of the box. Instead of taking a touch, the ex Bolton Wanderers man lashes an instant volley into the roof of the net, leaving a helpless Friedel clutching at thin air. There are not many centre-backs in the world who could have scored that type of goal - certainly not John Terry, who he has replaced!
17 minGOAL! Spurs 0-1 Chelsea (Cahill)
13 minOscar is looking extremely lively for the away side. The youngster produced a slick pass for Fernando Torres, who found himself through on goal. However, the linesman raised his flag for offside. It was tight, but it was the right decision.
10 minCHANCE! Chelsea go close as Oscar fizzes a shot just wide of the target from 25 yards out. The Brazilian had a lot of space there and showed what he can do from that distance recently against Juventus. Spurs will want to get to him a quicker next time or he may punish them.
7 minThere are some really strong but fair challenges flying in at the moment. If Chelsea's Eden Hazard didn't know what this derby was all about, he does after a tackle from Gallas!
4 minCHANCE! First sight of goal goes to Spurs skipper and ex Chelsea defender Gallas. Gylfi Sigurdsson whipped in a cross for the Frenchman, who swung his left foot at the ball. However, he failed to make a connection and the ball trickled out for a goal kick.
3 minMust be said that off the pitch the Spurs fans are making themselves heard. Cracking atmosphere inside the Lane at the moment.
2 minIt's been a typical start to a derby encounter. Both sides are trying to find their feet and consequently possession is being traded on a regular basis.
12.45pmAnd Spurs get us underway...
12.45pmThe Spurs players are currently in their pre-match huddle. Kick-off imminent...
12.42pmThe players are now making their way onto the pitch, led out by William Gallas and Cech...
12.40pmDespite all that though, the Portuguese coach has insisted that the will keep him emotions in check: "I am a very emotional person but at the end all that counts is three points in the league," he told BBC Sport. "The biggest reward I could get is for Tottenham to beat the European champions. They took Tottenham out of the Champions League equation for this season and that should be enough drive for the fans."
12.39pmAs mentioned above, this match sees Villas-Boas come up against the Blues for the first time since he was sacked in March. To rub more salt in the wound, Chelsea went on to win the FA Cup and Champions League without him. And if that wasn't enough, Chelsea's European success cost Spurs a place among the elite this season.
12.35pmIn truth, they probably won't have a better chance to record a win at the Lane. Spurs are not only missing Bale, but the impressive Moussa Dembele is out with an injury that he sustained while on international duty with Belgium. Couple that with the fact Chelsea have won five on the bounce and the smart money would suggest they will get a positive result today.
12.31pmHowever, before you Chelsea supporters get too carried away - you have not won at the Lane since 2005. Since then Spurs have won three, with the other three matches ending in draws.
12.30pmBack to those stats I promised earlier (although Spurs fans may want to avert their eyes now). In the Premier League era Tottenham have only defeated the Blues on THREE occasions. Gulp!
12.25pmTalking of the "bench", here are the substitutes.
Spurs: Lloris, Adebayor, Naughton, Dawson, Falque, Livermore, Townsend
Chelsea: Turnbull, Romeu, Lampard, Moses, Sturridge, Azpilicueta, Bertrand
12.22pmRoberto Di Matteo has named the lineup we all expected him to. Gary Cahill has come in to replace the suspended John Terry, with Petr Cech taking over the captaincy from the former England defender. There is also no place for Frank Lampard, who is on the bench.
12.18pmChelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole; Mikel, Ramires, Hazard, Mata, Oscar; Torres
12.16pmI would imagine there are Chelsea supporters across the world queuing up to thank Gareth Bale's partner at the moment. The Welsh international arrived at the Lane and was due to start, only to be informed that his other half had gone into labour. As a result, Tom Huddlestone has come into the starting lineup. The other major talking sees Brad Friedel return in goal at the expense of Hugo Lloris.
12.13pmSpurs X1: Friedel; Walker, Caulker, Gallas, Vertonghen; Sandro, Huddlestone Sigurdsson; Lennon, Dempsey; Defoe
12.11pmAnyway, that's enough of my waffling for now, let's bring you some team news...
12.10pmVictory for Chelsea at White Hart Lane will put them SEVEN points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Granted they will have played one more game than their rivals, but that is still a big margin. Three points for Spurs will see them jump to second.
12.07pmAfternoon all. What better way to kick off the Premier League weekend then with a derby encounter between the division's two form teams!
Written by
Liam Apicella
Liam Apicella
