Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur.

The closing hours of the transfer window may be upon us, but that hasn't stopped the Premier League scheduling seven fixtures for tonight. Quite frankly, that decision deserves all the criticism it has been receiving but that changes very little. Fortunately for Spurs, they aren't in the market for new players but the same can't be said of Sunderland, who are known to be keen on securing a new striker.

We will try to talk more about Sunderland's woes in front of goal as we go on, but first of all, I am obliged to point you in the direction of our Transfer Talk page. As you can imagine, there is news and rumours coming in all the time so be sure to take a look and keep refreshing your browser throughout the night.

Anyway, without further ado, let's crack on with the team news coming from the Stadium of Light. Spurs are having to make do without one of their key men...

SUNDERLAND XI: Mannone, Jones, Manquillo, O'Shea, Kone, Denayer, N'Dong, Larsson, Rodwell, Borini, Defoe

SUNDERLAND SUBSTITUTES: Mika, Love, Lescott, Pienaar, Gooch, Januzaj, Honeyman

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI: Vorm, Walker, Alderweireld, Dier, Rose, Dembele, Wanyama, Alli, Eriksen, Son, Kane

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBSTITUTES: Lopez, Carter-Vickers, Davies, Wimmer, Sissoko, Winks, Janssen

First of all, let's take a look at Sunderland and those of you who were looking forward to seeing a debut from Joleon Lescot will be left disappointed...for now. The former Everton, Manchester City and Aston Villa defender is only named on the bench by David Moyes, and injuries and certain other restrictions means that the Scot has named a defensive-looking lineup this evening, even with Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe in attack. You'd expect the likes of Adnan Januzaj and Steven Pienaar to be used later in the game should Sunderland fall behind.

As for Spurs, they have been dealt a blow by the news that Hugo Lloris is being forced to miss the game because of illness, with Michel Vorm deputising for the Frenchman. However, Mauricio Pochettino is able to name a strong back four, with Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose both fit to start while further forward, Son Heung-min is given the nod after scoring twice against Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup. Harry Kane is also fit to start after what was described as a minor groin problem.

HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's game will represent the 118th time in which these two teams have met in a competitive fixture, with Sunderland winning 37 times compared to the 50 victories for Spurs. However, the North London outfit have been much more dominant in recent years with Sunderland failing to win in their last 13 games. During that time, they have only secured two draws. You have to go back to April 3, 2010 for Sunderland's last triumph over Spurs.

The most recent clash between the two teams took place during the middle of September when a Harry Kane goal proved to be the differences between the sides at White Hart Lane. It was also the game where Kane suffered ankle ligament damage which left him on the sidelines for a number of weeks. Click here to read our match report.

While Lescott was signed in time for this fixture, both Bryan Oviedo and Darron Gibson - formerly of Everton - were not. The Black Cats announced on Monday evening that they have signed the pair from Goodison Park but it was too late for them to be involved tonight. It's a shame because David Moyes needs every new face he can get right now and their absence means it's a youthful-looking bench.

Staying on a transfer-related theme, Spurs have not made any first-team signings during the first month of 2017 and that is expected to remain the case. Instead, Pochettino has been extending the contracts of many of his squad and so far, the team is certainly benefiting from the togetherness and continuity. Whether that remains the case is yet to be seen but despite injuries to some of his backline, there really wasn't any need for Pochettino to spend any money during this transfer window.

We can't go through this build-up without mentioning Defoe, who has had two spells at Spurs during his career. The forward has continued to be linked with a move to the East part of London with West Ham United but his selection this evening has all but guaranteed that he will be remaining at the Stadium of Light. Defoe made a total of 363 appearances at Spurs, scoring 143 goals, but his heart is very much set on keeping Sunderland in the Premier League. He has scored 12 times in 22 league outings this season and he will probably need to add another 10 to that tally if his team are to have a chance of staying in the top flight.

Goals haven't been a problem where Spurs are concerned. Since the turn of the year, they have netted 18 in just six matches and it is natural to fear the worst for Sunderland in this fixture. Many of their attacking players are chipping in too, with Dele Alli and Son Heung-min contributing as much, if not more, than Harry Kane.

Lescott certainly looks pleased to have joined Sunderland in this picture. Will that change over the next few months...

New signing @JoleonLescott is on the bench, while @Bryan_Oviedo and Darron Gibson aren't eligible to play tonight pic.twitter.com/BDuB0v4Km6 — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) 31 January 2017

PREDICTION! Spurs showed some frailties at the weekend when conceding three goals against Wycombe Wanderers but you can't back against them in this game. Moyes will rally his players ahead of this important game, but I expect the visitors to be a constant threat on the break so we are going to predict a 4-1 win.

It's time for the two teams to make their way out at the Stadium of Light. We will be underway in just a few minutes.

We are underway in the North-East.

It's been somewhat of a pedestrian start at the Stadium of Light, but I suppose that suits both teams for now. That said, a neat move has just seen Spurs win a corner.

From the set piece, a Sunderland defender gets ahead of Dier to flick the ball away but a mistake from Denayer leads to Kane crossing across the six-yard box, where Kone has to turn the ball behind.

CHANCE! Defoe finds himself in a one-on-one situation with Alderweireld and for a moment, it appears that the striker will be able to get a decent shot on goal. However, he holds on for too long and his effort is deflected wide for a corner.

If you're a Spurs, it's pretty much the perfect scenario if Arsenal fall behind and a former Spurs player scores, isn't it? Well that's what has happened at the Emirates Stadium with Younes Kaboul giving the Hornets an early lead!

It gets better! Troy Deeney has now scored for Watford. What a start for the Hornets. Back to this game and well, there's not a whole lot happening.

Rose has emerged as one of Spurs' key players this season and he displays some of his attributes with a run down the left flank. It eventually comes to nothing but Sunderland have been warned.

We are midway through the half and the only shot on goal has been Defoe's tame deflected effort. Spurs have looked lively in patches but they are yet to test Vito Mannone in the Sunderland goal.

SHOT! Better from Sunderland who are able to release Borini after a clearance, but while the Italian forward gets his shot on target, he is unable to really test Vorm.

SHOT! This is more like it, but I imagine Spurs wished that they had someone other than Wanyama taking this shot. He forces Mannone into a decent stop, but that may have found the net had it been struck by the likes of Eriksen or Alli.

After a brief period of action, we have returned to both teams taking a more patient approach to this game. I'm waiting for Spurs to launch a sustain assault on Sunderland's goal - as their form suggested they would - but they aren't asserting themselves as Pochettino would have hoped for.

BOOKING! We have our first yellow card of the match and it has gone to Rodwell for a cynical challenge on Dembele. Easy decision for the referee.

SUBSTITUTION! This is a huge blow for Spurs and for Rose. The left-back appears to have injured his foot and he is having to be replaced by Ben Davies. Pochettino will be hoping that it isn't too serious, but the timing certainly isn't great!

There has been a goal at Anfield and Chelsea have gone ahead against Liverpool thanks to an outrageous free kick from David Luiz. That could be a huge goal in the title race.

We are going to have a bit of a break in play due to a clash of heads between Larsson and Walker. Both look like they will be alright to continue but it means we will have a few minutes of added-on time. Still no more chances to speak of, aside from a Defoe shot which was blocked.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

The half-time whistle goes at the Stadium of Light and it's no surprise that this game remains goalless. Aside from a couple of efforts from either side, it's been pretty uneventful and both managers will expect better in the second half.

We are back underway in the North-East. Let's hope this game improves in the second half!

Unlike the first half, Spurs begin the second on the front foot and Davies's low cross almost finds Kane from close range, but it instead goes out on the far side of the pitch.

Spurs have dominated the opening exchanges of this second half and are having all of the possession but aside from that Davies cross, they haven't done much in the final third. Pochettino will remain patient for now but don't be surprised if he makes changes sooner rather than later.

The visitors win a corner and Eriksen manages to find Kane inside the penalty area, but the forward sees his effort deflected wide. It hasn't been one of his best nights in a Spurs shirt.

SHOT! Eriksen, on the other hand, is coming more and more into the game and his set piece from the edge of the area comes close to giving Spurs the lead, with only a good save from Mannone preventing his effort finding the back of the net.

Still no goals in this game but Arsenal have halved the deficit against Watford at the Emirates Stadium. Alex Iwobi got the goal and the momentum is presumably with the Gunners now.

We are through an hour at the Stadium of Light and we are still no closer to witnessing an opening goal. This is the time where managers usually make a few changes but I'm sure whether Moyes or Pochettino will be tempted to act first.

SHOT! Walker loves to get forward and he almost earns his team an opening goal with a deflected shot which just clears the crossbar. Sunderland have held firm up to now but you'd expect them to come under constant pressure from here.

BOOKING! Manquillo becomes the second Sunderland player to go into the book for pulling back Wanyama.

Spurs are really pushing for a goal now. Moments ago, Wanyama headed just over the crossbar and if the holding midfielder is in the penalty area, you know Pochettino is going for the three points.

CHANCE! Better from Sunderland as Borini drills a pass across the face of the goal but it ends up going out for a goal kick after Defoe fails to make contact.

SUBSTITUTION! That's Borini last bit of action as he is being replaced by Honeyman. The Italian has put in a shift this evening.

SUBSTITUTION! Spurs have also made a change with Sissoko coming on for Son.

With 15 minutes to go, you have to wonder whether Sunderland will be content with a point or if they are going to target all three. They have only forced Vorm into one save all match but they arguably deserves a share of the spoils based on their defending.

SHOT! Again, a Spurs chance falls to the wrong man. Wanyama gets the opportunity to shoot but he fires wildly into the stand. Pochettino is not too impressed.

We are well inside the final 10 minutes and it is getting to a stage where I don't think we are going to see a goal. Remember, Spurs had scored 18 times in six matches in 2017 before this game. They just haven't done enough here.

SHOT! Eriksen has looked Spurs' best chance of getting a goal and he is able to force another solid intervention out of Mannone. The Italian stopper has enjoyed a good game this evening.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at the Stadium of Light and we have finished up goalless. This has to go down as two dropped points for Spurs but they didn't do enough to get past a resolute Sunderland side who deserved their draw.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match but we hope that you can stick around for the all of the results and transfer which are coming your way over the next 90 minutes or so. Goodbye for now.