Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Southampton to White Hart Lane. We should have some team news through for you shortly.

There's more at stake for Spurs today than Southampton as Tim Sherwood's side hope to continue their quest for European football. The North-London club can return to fifth place in the table with a victory against the Saints, who can move up to eighth spot if they win.

SPURS: Lloris; Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose; Lennon, Bentaleb, Chadli, Dembele, Eriksen; Soldado

SPURS SUBS: Friedel, Dawson, Fryers, Paulinho, Sigurdsson, Townsend, Kane

Spurs boss Tim Sherwood makes five changes to his starting lineup following Thursday's defeat to Benfica in the last 16 of the Europa League. Hugo Lloris returns in goal, while Younes Kaboul, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele and Christian Eriksen are also recalled. Michael Dawson, Paulinho and Andros Townsend are among those on the bench.

SOUTHAMPTON: Boruc; Clyne, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw; Cork, Ward-Prowse, S Davis, Lallana; Rodriguez, Lambert

SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Gazzaniga, Yoshida, Ramirez, Chambers, Hooiveld, Reed, Gallagher

Mauricio Pochettino opts to make two changes to his Southampton starting XI after last weekend's 4-2 victory over Norwich City in the league. Jack Cork and Rickie Lambert both retrun as Gaston Ramirez drops to the bench. Morgan Schneiderlin misses out on a place in the squad.

Mauricio Pochettino: "We thought these changes were right for the team. We hope they'll get us a result." #saintsfc pic.twitter.com/g4V3SOK0vV — Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 23, 2014

RECENT FORM IN ALL COMPETITIONS:

SPURS: WWLLLD
SOUTHAMPTON: WLLLWW

Both of these teams have suffered a dip in form as of late, but it's the Saints who are currently in the better nick thanks to two wins from their last two games. Spurs went on a damaging run of three consecutive defeats before drawing with Benfica in midweek.

In terms of form in the Premier League it's Southampton who come out on top in that department. The Saints have picked up 10 points from their previous six games, while Spurs have managed to take nine points from a possible 18.

Rickie Lambert makes his 200th league appearance for @SouthamptonFC today, while José Fonte plays his 175th game for the Club. #saintsfc — Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 23, 2014

Spurs boss Tim Sherwood speaking with the club's official website: "Anyone who watched the performance against Benfica will not want to play us. We are very buoyant now. This has been a real positive.

"Southampton have good, young English players and a good playing system, but we want them to worry about us and we'll go for it.

"Between now and the end of the season, we're going to have a real go."

Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc speaking with the club's official website: "In this situation we are in just now, we're still thinking about the European spots. If you dream big, good things happen. So we're going there to grab all three points – I think we are good enough.

"I think it's not just about this game. There are a couple of games left, and you can grab a good amount of points.

"Of course, I'm still thinking about that European spot, but it's going to be hard, I know that as well. But we've shown this season that we are able to compete with the biggest clubs in England."

HEAD TO HEAD: Spurs have the better record when it comes to previous meeting between these sides, winning 45 matches compared to Southampton's 35. The teams have also played out 26 draws. Spurs have also won their last three games versus Southampton.

Southampton's last win over Spurs came back in March 2005 when they earned a 1-0 victory at St Mary's Stadium in the Premier League.

PREDICTION TIME: We here at Sports Mole can see this being a tight match today, with both teams sharing the spoils in a 1-1. However, a few goals like December's 3-2 win for Spurs would be nice.

REFEREE WATCH: The man in the middle for today's game in Anthony Taylor. Or is it Andre Marriner? Nope, it's Anthony Taylor.

Ten minutes to go until kickoff and it's a bright day in North London. The players should be emerging in the tunnel soon as we head closer towards the start of this match. One has to wonder what kind of antics Tim Sherwood will be providing down on the touchline this afternoon. The Spurs boss has been in animated form during the past few weeks, so expects a few eyes on him today.

Here come the teams from their respective tunnels, waiting to walk out onto the pitch at White Hart Lane. Five minutes to kickoff.

KICKOFF! The players are out, the pre-match handshakes have been done and it will be Spurs to get us underway. There are two good attacking teams out there today, so this should be an entertaining contest. It looks like we're not going to get to see Sherwood down on the touchline early on as he opts to sit in the stands. Let's see how long that lasts.

It's been a really lively start as both sides look to attack early. The best early opening falls to Spurs with Kaboul heading straight at Boruc from a corner. If the teams keep up this tempo then we should be in for a cracker.

CHANCE! Decent play from Southampton as Lallana picks out Lambert on the edge of the box, but the striker has to delay doing anything with the ball because no one is up with him. Lallana eventually catches up before firing over the crossbar from about 20 yards. We're still seeing plenty of attacking football.

DISALLOWED GOAL! Southampton have the ball in the net but it won't count! Lambert threads a lovely pass through to Rodriguez, who finishes confidently first time. However, the linesman's flag is up for offside. The visitors are looking dangerous at the moment as they try to exploit the big holes that Spurs are leaving at the back.

It's still Southampton who are dictating play right now thanks to some slick passing and movement. The Saints are looking very relaxed while Spurs seem a little bit tense and tentative.

CHANCE! Close for Spurs as Chadli is set free down the left by Soldado but the Belgian's cross narrowly evades Lennon in the middle. A little more composure from Chadli there and the home side could be in front. Both teams are playing expansive styles of football at the minute, which means that there are lots of gaps to exploit all over the pitch.

4 - The last four Premier League meetings between Tottenham and Southampton have been decided by a one-goal margin. Tight.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 23, 2014

Southampton lead and it's Jay Rodriguez with the goal! Naughton makes a calamitous error in the build-up as he allows the ball to bounce over him, sending Rodriguez clear through on goal. The forward then makes no mistake as he slots the ball past Lloris with ease.

Spurs have responded positively to going behind but there's a fair bit of disgruntlement among the home fans at White Hart Lane. To be fair, Southampton deserve their leads because they've shown a bit more ambition and invention in attack.

Great control from Lambert there as he brings the ball down around the Spurs box before offloading it to Lallana. The Southampton captain brings it onto his left foot, though his shot is a tame one in the end that Lloris saves.

CHANCE! Spurs are all over the place at the moment. Southampton break forward yet again as Cork sees his effort deflected wide for a corner which the visitors fail to make anything of.

Southampton now lead 2-0 and it's another glaring error from Naughton in the build-up to the goal from Adam Lallana. The Spurs defender's attempted clearance goes straight to Lambert on the edge of the box, who then threads the ball through to Lallana. The Saints captain shows great composure from close range to guide the ball past Lloris and into the net.

Game on now as Christian Eriksen gets Spurs back into the game with an opportunistic strike! Southampton failed to clear a cross from the right side, allowing the Dane to pop up at the back post and drill the ball home in clinical fashion.

That moment from Eriksen has changed the whole mood inside White Hart Lane because there was a sense of shock and dismay following Southampton's second goal. The hosts have been pretty flat so far today but that could just have woken them from their slumber. Southampton certainly don't look quite as confident now.

Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has now come down from the stands and is sitting down on the touchline. He doesn't seem best pleased with what he's seen so far, even though his players have got themselves back into this game.

SAVE! Almost a third goal for Southampton as Cork somehow finds Lallana inside the Spurs box with a wonderfully incisive pass but the Saints skipper's powerful shot from close range is kept out by Lloris.

Southampton are starting to take control of this match again as we approach half time. They're being helped by Spurs though as the hosts struggle to keep hold of the ball. They've been poor in possession all afternoon - something which Tim Sherwood is sure to address during the interval.

CHANCE! Close to an equaliser for Spurs as a cross from the right is cushioned into the path of Eriksen by Soldado, only for the Dane to get a heavy touch on the ball to see it run through to Boruc.

CHANCE! Spurs go knocking on the door again, with Eriksen causing problems once more. He tries to squeeze a free kick past Boruc on the angle but the Southampton goalkeeper is there to push the effort away.

There will be two minutes of added time...

The half-time whistle goes, bringing an end to an entertaining 45 minutes of football that has seen Southampton take a 2-1 lead over Spurs. Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana put the visitors in a commanding position before Christian Eriksen cut the deficit or the home side.

Southampton certainly deserve to be ahead thanks to some brilliant attacking football. Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert have all linked superbly to cause Spurs multiple problems. In contrast, the hosts have been well below par. They've been their own worst enemies at times, making stupid mistakes that have cost them. Who knows what Tim Sherwood is barking at his players right now?

One thing that must be said is that we've seen some great finishing so far. Rodriguez showed plenty of composure to put Southampton in front before Lallana remained calm to slot in their second. Eriksen's goal for Spurs wasn't bad either, powering from close range after reacting well.

PHOTO: Adam Lallana's teammates join in the celebrations after @SouthamptonFC's second goal. #saintsfc pic.twitter.com/mumNZWFwna

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 23, 2014

0 - Tottenham are yet to claim a single point from losing positions at home in the Premier League this season. Mountain.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 23, 2014

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The teams are back out and it will be Southampton to kick us off for the second half. One change for Spurs at the break as Gylfi Sigurdsson replaces Moussa Dembele, while Luke Chambers enters the action in place of Nathaniel Clyne for the Saints.

What a start to the half for Spurs as Christian Eriksen scores his second goal of the game to draw them level! Soldado does well down the right to dispossess Lovren before firing a low cross into the box where the Dane was waiting to tap in. White Hart Lane erupts.

Lovren and Soldado are having a little bit of a personal battle at the moment. The Southampton defender feels aggrieved because he believes that he was fouled by Soldado in the build-up to the Spurs equaliser. He's clutching at straws though - the Croatian needed to be stronger when tussling with the striker.

There's a nice bit of spice about this game now as both teams fight to get the upper hand. It certainly has a more physical feel that the first half. It's also very hard to tell which way it's going to go next, though you have to say that Spurs are currently in the ascendancy.

Spurs have definitely shown more attacking intent since coming back out for the second half. They've also cut out a lot of the silly errors that they were repeatedly committing during the opening 45 minutes. That's sure to please Tim Sherwood, even if he doesn't look all that overjoyed down on the touchline.

CHANCE! Wonderful play from Chadli as he shows a quick pair of heels to get away from his marker before seeing his shot on the angle pushed away by Borus. Spurs are building up a head of steam here but they also need to be careful because Southampton have been lethal on the counter-attack this afternoon.

YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the match sees Dejan Lovren cautioned for hauling down Roberto Soldado. Their little battle continues.

Just under 30 minutes left to play at White Hart Lane and Spurs are still very much in control at the moment. Southampton are being limited to the odd counter-attack while the hosts push high up the pitch and threaten at every opportunity.

SUBSTITUTION: Southampton make their second change of the match as Gaston Ramirez replaces Jay Rodriguez, who does not look to happy at having to come off.

There's been no let up from Spurs in the last few minutes. They're still piling the pressure on Southampton in the hope that they will find a winning goal. However, the visitors are doing a decent job of keeping them out as we approach the final 20 minutes of this match.

For all of Spurs' possession and dominance they're struggling to create any clear chances. Tim Sherwood still has a few attacking options to use on the bench. It'll be interesting to see if he freshens things up shortly.

SUBSTITUTION: Sherwood does indeed freshen things up as Andros Townsend is introduced in place of Aaron Lennon. Can the winger impress under the watchful eye of England boss Roy Hodgson?

Southampton are trying to take some of the sting out of this match now but Spurs are doing a good job of keeping their intensity up. Sigurdsson has a crack at goal from about 20 yards, though he can only poke the ball wide of the post.

Credit to Townsend, he's injected Spurs with a bit more menace since coming off the bench. The winger shows great determination to win his side a corner but they fail to make anything of it. The hosts are still pretty much camped in Southampton's half.

YELLOW CARD! Spurs defender Nabil Bentaleb goes into the book for bringing down Lambert with Southampton looking to break. That was cynical from the youngster.

Just over 10 to go at the Lane #COYS pic.twitter.com/v4R7vqp1LF — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 23, 2014

YELLOW CARD! Now it's Southampton youngster Jack Cork who is cautioned following some shirt-pulling on Bentaleb.

Southampton are starting to offer a bit more in attack as we head towards the final whistle. Spurs are most likely going to have to push further and further forward in search of the three points, allowing the visitors to hit them on the break.

It looks like Spurs' hopes of Champions League football will be all but over if they fail to find another goal in the next few minutes. Tim Sherwood admitted before the game that it would be tough for them to finish in the top four and it seems like it would be nearly impossible for them to achieve that if this match stays the same.

CHANCES! Two good opportunities for Southampton as Ramirez has his shot blocked before Lambert fires narrowly wide. That is the striker's last involvement as he is replaced by Sam Gallagher.

There will be FOUR MINUTES of added time...

What a goal from Gylfi Sigurdsson! That's surely won it for Spurs! Southampton failed to clear their lines following a spell of sustained pressure from the hosts, allowing the substitute to hit a ferocious drive from 20 yards into the bottom corner. What a hit!

What a thrilling end to a thrilling match as Spurs beat Southampton 3-2 thanks to Sigurdsson's late goal. The hosts had to work for it after finding themselves 2-0 down but they showed plenty of character and determination to get the points. Breathless stuff at White Hart Lane.

That's all from our live text coverage of this match but don't forget that you can keep up to date with Stoke City's trip to Aston Villa by following this link right here. Thanks very much for your company and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!