Tottenham Hotspur kept themselves within touching distance of the Champions League places by holding on to beat Swansea City 3-2 at White Hart Lane tonight.
Nacer Chadli's opener was cancelled out by Ki Sung-yueng either side of Bafetimbi Gomis collapsing and being taken to hospital in a first half which ended 1-1.
Strikes from Ryan Mason and Andros Townsend gave Spurs a two-goal lead which came under threat late on as Gylfi Sigurdsson rifled in a volley against his former club.
Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a crucial save in stoppage time to secure his side a victory which ensures that their top-four rivals did not run away from them.
Read Sports Mole's live text coverage below to relive how events unfolded in the capital.
Evening, all. A full Premier League midweek fixture list. Aren't we lucky? Spurs vs. Swansea from White Hart Lane is one of seven top-flight games being brought to you live by Sports Mole this evening.
Spurs need a result, for morale more than anything. They were beaten by Chelsea in the League Cup final on Sunday and knocked out of the Europa League by Fiorentina three days prior. The top-four is the only think left for them now and every point is going to be vital in a highly-competitive race.
Swansea will not be pushovers. Garry Monk's side appeared to be in mid-table limbo a few weeks ago, but have won successive games to climb to within a place of Spurs in the table. They might not be in the European race, but they have important club ambitions for the remainder of the season.
Just over 45 minutes until kickoff in London. Team news will be with you shortly...
SPURS: Lloris; Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose; Bentaleb, Mason; Chadli, Eriksen, Townsend; Kane
Subs: Vorm, Chiriches, Davies, Dembele, Paulinho, Lamela, Soldado
Subs: Vorm, Chiriches, Davies, Dembele, Paulinho, Lamela, Soldado
SWANSEA: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ki, Cork; Shelvey Sigurdsson, Routledge; Gomis
Subs: Tremmel, Amat, Rangel, Britton, Oliveira, Emnes, Montero
Subs: Tremmel, Amat, Rangel, Britton, Oliveira, Emnes, Montero
In what is perhaps a nod to their efforts at Wembley on Sunday, Mauricio Pochettino names the same XI which started the League Cup final. Kyle Walker shakes off a knock to take his place at right-back.
Andros Townsend and Nacer Chadli start in advanced positions ahead of Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela. Paulinho and Vlad Chiriches, probably as a precaution with Walker in mind, come onto the bench.
Michel Vorm and Ben Davies, both of whom swapped Swansea for Spurs in the summer, are also among the substitutes as they struggle to dislodge Hugo Lloris and Danny Rose from their respective spots.
Tottenham loanee Tom Carroll is ineligible for the Swans and drops out for former Spurs midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson in the only change from the side which won 1-0 at Burnley last weekend.
Sigurdsson is one of three ex-Tottenham players in the Swans lineup. Kyle Naughton left the Lane for the Liberty in January, while Wayne Routledge endured two-and-a-half miserable years with the club.
Ironically, it appears that Sigurdsson will be playing in the left-wing role that he so disliked at Tottenham. Jack Cork's arrival has seen Jonjo Shelvey pushed forward and the Icelander shifted wide.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Tottenham boast a formidable recent record against the Swans, having won their last six league encounters including a 2-1 win at Wales in December in which Christian Eriksen bagged a trademark late winner. Swansea are yet to collect a Premier League point from White Hart Lane.
REFEREE WATCH: Once the baby of the Premier League's refereeing squad, Michael Olivier is now one of the most senior members of the highly-criticised unit and will hope to lead by example tonight.
Spurs are the only one of the top-four contenders to be on double duty as they play Queens Park Rangers in their game in hand on Saturday. Six points from six will boost their Champions League hopes.
The Lilywhites are currently six points adrift of fourth place, having played at least a game less than their rivals. Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are all in action tonight and I shall keep you updated of their progress as and when I can. Alternatively, follow their own live commentaries here.
Swansea are four points behind Spurs, leaving them likely out of the European equation. Garry Monk is simply happy to have reached the 40-point mark so quickly in his first season in charge, though, and is now targeting a Premier League best total of 47 - achieved upon their 2012-13 promotion.
Five minutes until kickoff at the Lane, where a pre-match tribute will be held for Spurs great Dave McKay - a key member of the 1960-61 double-winning side and widely perceived to be one of the most complete players to represent the club. Spurs will be hoping of claiming three points in his honour.
PREDICTION: Spurs may be a bit flat both mentally and physically and run into a Swansea side who are in good form. I fancy Monk's visitors to leave London with a point on merit - 1-1.
KICKOFF! The hosts get the action underway. Swansea are in their alternative black and red strip...
It has been Spurs who have had most of the early ball. They forced an early corner which they took short. Townsend and Eriksen engineered an opening for a cross which Ashley Williams headed away.
GOAL! SPURS 1-0 SWANSEA (NACER CHADLI)
An early breakthrough for Spurs and it is a 10th goal of the season for Nacer Chadli! Danny Rose exploits the space which had been created down the left by the Belgian's run into the middle and whips in great ball from deep which Chadli calmly side foots across Fabianski and inside the post. Great finish!
A bit of a delay here as Bafetimbi Gomis receives medical treatment. The Swans striker collapsed in the middle of the pitch as play prepared to restart. Both medical teams have rushed onto the pitch to his assistance. Always a concern when a player goes down like that with nobody around him.
There is a thumbs up from the medical personnel as they lift Gomis, who requires an oxygen mask, onto a stretcher. He will be on his way to hospital of course. White Hart Lane is anxious amid memories of that terrible Fabrice Muamba incident. Thankfully, this does not appear to be as serious.
SUBSTITUTION: Nelson Oliviera is on for Gomis. The whole stadium applauds him off.
SHOT! Nice interplay between Chadli, Eriksen and Townsend on the edge of the Swans box sees the Dane flick into the path of Townsend to shoot straight at Fabianski from a central position.
GOAL! SPURS 1-1 SWANSEA (KI SUNG-YUENG)
Swansea equalise, and it is a second goal in three games for Ki-Sung-yueng! Spurs never really cleared their lines after a superb Sigurdsson free kick came back off the post, and the Icelander subtly guides Taylor's lofted pass into the path of Ki to nutmeg Lloris from an almost-impossible angle.
Mason plays a one-two with Townsend on the right edge of the box and tries to guide the return pass into the far corner. His effort is too central and Fabianski again gets everything behind it.
Spurs are back on top now after Swansea levelled things, out of nothing really. There is lots of intricate passing around the area, but they are perhaps guilty of overplaying and a few attacks break down.
The hosts waste a free kick in a good position as Mason opts to play it short to Townsend, only to knock it too long and Taylor comes across to shield the ball behind. The centre-backs trot back unamused.
Townsend plays in Walker with a reverse pass, but the cross is blocked at the near post.
Patient build-up play from Swansea leads to Routledge getting to the left byline. He manages to find Sigurdsson in the box, but a combination of Dier and Vertonghen usher him away from danger.
LATEST! No goals in the games concerning Tottenham's top-four rivals, unless you are counting Chelsea. Eden Hazard has put them 1-0 up at West Ham, while Stoke lead Everton by the same scoreline.
Swans captain Williams has been lauded for his recent performances and has thus far kept Kane quiet. The striker's only half sight of goal was a cross from Rose which he shouldered straight up in the air.
Eriksen chips a lovely ball up to the back post which beats Fabianski in the flight. The Polish keeper misses his punch and the ball just evades the stretching leg of Kane as he looked to react sharply.
SAVE! He looked all at sea a minute ago, but Fabianski is very solid behind a 30-yard Bentaleb drive which bounced awkwardly just in front of him. The Algerian is yet to score a Premier League goal this season, but he can really hit them and Swansea were happy to give him the space to try his luck.
There will be SIX minutes of added time in this half following the Gomis stoppage. The latest news on him is encouraging: he is on his way to hospital, but was stable and talking as he left the field.
LATEST: Jordan Henderson has scored another pearler for red-hot Liverpool to put them ahead against Burnley. That is an 8.00pm kickoff, so around half an hour played at Anfield.
Chadli plays Kane through one-on-one and his left-footed shot from a tight angle is blocked by Fabianski. The offside flag had been raised, although replays show that the Spurs man was level.
HALF-TIME: SPURS 1-1 SWANSEA
All level at the Lane then, where Nacer Chadli's seventh-minute goal has been cancelled out by Ki Sung-yueng's net finish from a tight angle; these goals either side Bafetimbis Gomis collapsing in the centre circle and being taken to hospital. Thankfully, the Swansea striker is believed to be in a stable condition.
Spurs have had much of the territory and possession without looking overly threatening. They will be hoping to involve Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane a little bit more in this second half.
KICKOFF: The action is underway, with both sides unchanged following the break...
A clever touch from Shelvey sets him up for a rasping left-footed drive which Lloris tips over the crossbar. The French keeper catches the resulting corner and sets about starting a Spurs attack.
CHANCE! Rose delivers another really good cross and Kane peels away from his marker to try to head back across goal inside the far post a la versus Arsenal. There is not enough power or loop on his effort and Fabianski gets across to push the ball wide. Although, strangely, a goal kick is given.
GOAL! SPURS 2-1 SWANSEA (RYAN MASON)
Spurs back in front! They again strike early in the half and it is a first Premier League goal for Ryan Mason! He owes huge thanks to Eriksen, though, whose run infield from the left took out as many as three Swans defenders. When Williams did eventually thwart him, his prod at the ball falls nicely into the path of Mason's run from midfield, and the youngster takes one touch and thumps into the roof of the net.
Sigurdsson is robbed of an opportunity to score against his former club as the offside flag is wrongly raised following a through ball from Cork. The midfielder bagged 13 goals in two years at Spurs.
GOAL! SPURS 3-1 SWANSEA (ANDROS TOWNSEND)
A great goal on the counter-attack from Townsend gives Spurs a two-goal cushion! Great refereeing by Michael Oliver, who could have blown up for fouls on both Bentaleb and Townsend, but allows the England winger to carry on and he runs free down the left. He has Kane up in support, but he quickly gets crowded out and so Townsend goes alone. He cuts inside his man and thrashes home with his right foot.
BOOKING: Dier is first in the book as he trips Oliveira on the edge of the box. Sigurdsson is over the free kick, but cannot give Spurs a scare this time as his shot hits the top of the wall.
SUBSTITUTION: Pochettino brings on Mousa Dembele to give his side a more physical presence in the middle of the park. Townsend is the player to make way out of the attacking midfield trio Some reward that for a brilliant solo goal! 'You should have passed it, Andros. Take a seat.'
This is all Spurs now and they twice pour forward in numbers, with a fearful and open Swansea side backing off. Walker and Bentaleb both have shots from distance deflected behind for corners.
SUBSTITUTION: Garry Monk changes tact now and throws on Jefferson Montero. The Ecuadorian winger has been nursing an injury of late, but is a really pacey and direct option down the left.
LATEST: While it is good news for Spurs here, it isn't looking great elsewhere as both Liverpool and Arsenal hold two-goal leads, over Burnley and QPR respectively. United are still being held at Newcastle.
SUBSTITUTION: Pochettino warned earlier today the dangers of Harry Kane burnout, with the European Under-21 Championships in mind this summer, and spares him the final 15 minutes here. Roberto Soldado, who only has one Premier League goal to his name all season, is on in his place.
SUBSTITUTION: The excellent Rose is also given a chance to rest his legs after a busy night up and down that left side. Ben Davies is on and receives a warm reception from both sets of supporters.
CLOSE! Walker bends a chest-high cross into the box and Soldado does well to adjust his body to direct a looping header towards the far stick, but it drifts just wide. He cannot catch a break the lad!
Patient build-up play from Spurs is given an injection of pace by a smart turn from Dembele. He squares for Mason, whose clever one-two with Soldado is just foiled by the alert Williams coming across.
LATEST! Man United grab what will surely be late winner at St James' Park through Ashley Young. With all of their top-four rivals winning, these points are even more important for Spurs.
GOAL! SPURS 3-2 SWANSEA (GYLFI SIGURDSSON)
Out of nowhere, a lifeline for Swansea and Sigurdsson is the inevitable scorer! Montero knocks a cross to the back post and Davies gives the Icelander too much room at the far post. He finishes with an emphatic volley from 10 yards. No celebration against his former club, but he may yet cost them two points.
There will be THREE minutes of stoppage time, can Swansea snatch an unlikely draw?
SAVE! What an incredible save from Hugo Lloris! He has barely had anything to do, but he secures Spurs victory here with a crucial save from a Fernandez header that was destined for the net.
FULL-TIME: SPURS 3-2 SWANSEA
Dramatic finish to events at White Hart Lane as Lloris's match-winning save guarantees Spurs the win. Sigurdsson's smart volley had set up a nervy ending for the hosts after they had seemingly led comfortably at 3-1. Ki earlier cancelled out Chadli's opener, and the entertainment kept on coming!
This really is a big result for Tottenham considering that Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool (barring a miracle Burnley comeback) are also winners tonight. It keeps the gap to the top four at six points, and they have the chance to half that deficit when they play QPR in their game in hand on Saturday.
This tale from London threatened to have a rather darker plot after Swansea striker Bafetimbis Gomis collapsed in the aftermath of Chadli's seventh-minute goal. Thankfully, the latest on the Frenchman is that he is in a stable condition in hospital, sitting up and speaking from his bed. Phew.
Anyway, that's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this evening and be sure to rejoin us for live coverage of QPR vs. Spurs and the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend. Until then...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
