A perfect afternoon for Tottenham after that disappointment on Thursday. The game was won by half-time, and they played some beautiful foootball in the first period. In the second, they could more or less ease off and see it out. They’ll hope there is nothing too badly wrong with Alderweireld, but apart from that it’s all smiles; for now they are second. I think the less said about Stoke there, the better. They just didn’t turn up, to put it kindly. Thanks a lot for your company – now join Rob Smyth for the League Cup final!
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Full-time: Tottenham 4-0 Stoke
There you go.
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90+1 min: One added minute to play. How often do we see that? I think everyone will be happy to go home though.
90 min: Yellow card for Wanyama after a needless nibble at Allen. What was the point at this stage?
89 min: Alli almost gets a deserved second, wriggling to the byline via a beautiful flick but not quite able to squeeze the ball below Grant, who gets enough on it to deflect away.
88 min: Stoke had that little spell after the hour but apart from that there’s been nothing. They – like you and I, dear reader – are playing out time now.
86 min: Son now comes on for Kane. Janssen remains sat down. Kane comes off to a roaring ovation and, clearly, it’s deserved.
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85 min: If I wasn’t quite right about no further goals at 3-0, I think all of us were correct in supposing this second half would be a non-event. Walker has another go though and Grant makes a fumbling save.
83 min: Alli is the next to try one from fairly improbable range, pearolling to Grant from distance.
82 min: Eriksen wins the ball in midfield, brings it up the pitch, fancies a pop at goal, and goes high and wide. But why not? Meanwhile Geoff Cameron makes a comeback for Stoke after four months out, replacing Whelan.
80 min: Another Tottenham corner. They’ve lost possession comically from two short ones today. This one comes straight in, no nonsense, and there are appeals for a Shawcross handball but nothing too major.
@NickAmes82 Spurs fans were booing Charlie Adam, not Berahino
— Koonal Shah (@koonalshah) February 26, 2017
My mistake.
77 min: Walker isn’t yet of that mind. He sashays forwards again but blasts wide of the near post. Tottenham’s 17th attempt.
76 min: It’s one of those, really, where we’d all be happy to wrap things up now.
74 min: Kane is still on ... and nearly gets his fourth at last, whipping one left-footed towards the far corner and drawing a superb left-handed save from Grant. Come on though, surely time to give Big Vincent a go?
71 min: Winks comes close, taking an Eriksen pass before bringing it onto his left foot and seeing Martins Indi deflect not far over. Eriksen’s corner, taken short to Dembele, ends up with Tottenham losing the ball.
69 min: Sobhi neatly springs Allen clear inside the box and the Welshman drills the ball across goal towards Arnautovic, but the ball is cleared from in front of him. Without Alderweireld and Vertonghen, Spurs look a bit more gettable-at. Not that it’s really going to matter.
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68 min: Arnautovic could have done with coming to life a bit earlier but now he seizes onto a loose Davies pass and is checked by Wimmer, who is booked. Free-kick just beyond the right corner of the area, taken by Whelan ... but nothing doing, as it’s defended well.
66 min: Now here’s Harry Winks, replacing Vertonghen.
65 min: Eriksen’s latest set-piece causes a degree of chaos, with Dier and Wanyama trying to turn it in, but then Stoke counter and Arnautovic reaches the line before winning a corner on the right. Allen delivers but Alli glances it away.
63 min: Nearly a way in for Berahino as Sobhi, very quiet since a fairly lively start, nudges the ball into his path but Vertonghen is aware and diverts away.
62 min: Eriksen sees a shot deflect harmlessly to Grant when Walker, legging it into space to his right, was the better bet.
61 min: Meanwhile, Grant saves wonderfully from a close-range Dier flick but the Spurs man is offside.
60 min: Crouch goes off to an ovation from his former public. Berahino gets his runout to boos. Adam goes off too, Afellay replacing him.
59 min: Kane is back on. An Adam free-kick is headed behind by Davies, and from the corner a looping header by Martins Indi is helped over by Lloris. The next set-piece is, eventually, half-cleared back to Adam and a dangerous low ball is blocked by Lloris before Allen can get a toe onto it. Stoke’s biggest spell of pressure so far.
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57 min: Eriksen whips in a short corner from the left and it’s only just above the head of Kane, who fancied a fourth. Some concern here though as he clattered the upright with his knee as he came down. He’s getting treatment behind the goal; could this be Janssen’s big moment?
55 min: Crouch gets into the Tottenham box but fouls Walker. Will Berahino get a runout soon?
54 min: Spurs still look reasonably interested in scoring a fifth but this is damage limitation for Stoke now and they’ll be prioritising keeping the door shut.
Hugo Loris should eat a pie in the second half @NickAmes82
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) February 26, 2017
Oh no.
51 min: Alli chests down a long Dier pass and tries an overhead kick but miscues and it goes wide. Smart run though.
50 min: Mark Hughes volleys a stray ball down the touchline, the best contact anyone from Stoke has made yet in this game. He’ll be seething.
49 min: They’re not going to risk Alderweireld for any longer, and rightly; Kevin Wimmer is being prepared for action and now comes on. Alderweireld goes straight down the tunnel, not sure what the issue was there.
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48 min: Early worry for Tottenham with Alderweireld down and taking some treatment. No point taking chances now surely.
Peeeeep! Second half underway!
Do Spurs have more in store for us? Do Stoke?
From a Fulham fan:
@NickAmes82 When Spurs stuffed us 3-0 in the Cup last weekend, I thought we weren't ready for play offs and EPL. Looks like I was wrong.
— Julian Armstrong (@jools_arm) February 26, 2017
@NickAmes82 Can you say this throughout the second half please? ;) #coys pic.twitter.com/rz82rDNTl0
— ian 🏴 (@ijclark) February 26, 2017
Yes, yes ...
“Harry Kane appears to be engulfed in flames and Stoke’s defence seems to be extremely scared,” offers J.R. in Illinois. Correct on all counts, figuratively at least.
Jill O’Donnell writes: “I really like Harry Kane. He is a throwback to the 1950/60’s, Bobby Moore style of footballer. No histrionics, no ‘look at me’ haircut, no post natal sucking his thumb goal celebrations. At the risk of repeating myself, I really like Harry Kane...”
Half-time: Tottenham 4-0 Stoke
This one’s over. I’ll put that out there. Tottenham have run Stoke ragged here, with hat-trick hero Kane outstanding alongside Alli and Eriksen.
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Goal! Tottenham 4-0 Stoke (Alli 45+1)
I don’t know anything, OK? And what a goal – Kane touches a high ball on the right past Martins Indi absolutely exquisitely, leaves Martins Indi trailing, hares into the box and squares for the simplest of finishes for Alli. Wonderful skill from Kane, and it has to be said Alli really deserves that goal too.
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45 min: Safe to say these two are, at least, running it down to half-time now. I’m going to suggest we may not see too many more goals here, abject though Stoke have certainly been.
42 min: I wonder how the tempo will keep up now. Or if it will keep up, rather. This has gone exactly as Tottenham, who must have had a few tired legs and minds, wanted and needed. Just see it out to the hour and then rest a few big guns?
39 min: This time Eriksen and Kane make a mess of the free-kick routine. Never mind.
39 min: Now Arnautovic is booked for a pretty cynical clip on Alli, who looks a man on a mission here Stoke are ragged and already look well beaten.
Goal! Tottenham 3-0 Stoke (Kane 37)
Oh my! It’s Kane’s third hat-trick in nine games! It is a bit fortunate: Adam fells Alli 30 yards out, Eriksen leaves the strike to Kane and it’s not really his best – but it’s drilled low into a pretty weak wall, deflects off Crouch and wrong-foots Grant! It was on target so it will go down as Kane’s goal. Game, set, match ... surely.
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35 min: Stoke are really struggling to get out and Tottenham come again. This time Shawcross gets ahead of Kane but they’re second best everywhere here.
Goal! Tottenham 2-0 Stoke (Kane 32)
Oh, that’s brilliant. Eriksen plays the corner out to the lurking Kane on the edge of the box. The ball sits up and Kane, on his supposedly weaker left foot, shapes to volley an absolute pearler of a finish low to Grant’s right. Fine finish and Spurs, playing superbly, are well on their way.
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31 min: Spurs win a free-kick now and it’s touched left to Walker, who lets fly from 30 yards and it’s tipped over acrobatically by Grant. Had to get there. From the resulting corner ...
30 min: Another Tottenham corner, this time left-sided. It’s worked short but never makes its way into the box as Vertonghen squanders possession. Stoke counter and Adam is in a great position but makes a hash of his cross with men in support.
28 min: Then Eriksen sees a shot blocked by Bardsley ... and Kane seizes on it 25 yards out, curling the ball centimetres wide! Stoke are living right on the edge!
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27 min: And then it’s even *more* nearly two as a Spurs corner falls to Vertonghen 12 yards out. On his unfamiliar right foot he lashes a half-volley ... plum off the crossbar!
26 min: Nearly two for Spurs as Walker fizzes another right-sided ball in and Grant, with attackers lurking, paws it away.
25 min: Booking for Adam after coming in late on Alli. Stoke don’t want these midfield yellow cards racking up.
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24 min: Norwich and Ipswich drew 1-1. Meanwhile Lloris saves superbly from Crouch, who is offside, at close range – if the ball had been alive there, we’d be talking about that later.
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22 min: Dembele and Eriksen attempt some slick interplay down the right but it comes to nought. Spurs probably wouldn’t mind finishing this one quite early and then resting up. Walker then fires a shot over from the edge of the box.
20 min: Not the worst response from Stoke, in fairness, with Sobhi prominent down the left. Their latest move ends with a very poor late tackle from Whelan on Vertonghen though, and he is rightly booked.
18 min: Sobhi goes on a bit of a run but Dembele stalls things this time. At the end of the move Stoke win a corner though, on the left hand side, and it’s Dembele again who flicks Adam’s delivery away from harm.
16 min: What have Stoke got now? They’ll have to work a bit more on the front foot but they’re well under the cosh.
Goal! Tottenham 1-0 Stoke (Kane 14)
A superb finish! Alli tries to play Kane through, Shawcross appears to have cut the pass out but instead loses control and Kane, at a slight angle on the right, flashes a fine low drive across Grant and into the far corner. Just the start Spurs wanted!
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13 min: First shot in anger for Stoke and it’s not bad, Sohbi pressuring Dembele into an error by the corner flag and Joe Allen, taking advantage, driving a shot not far past the near post.
11 min: Tottenham come again, Kane bringing the ball forward but Whelan coming back well to dispossess him. The home side won’t want this to become a long afternoon.
10 min: Kane gets the better of Martins Indi on the right of the area but neither Wanyama or Alli can quite make the space for a shot and they’re crowded out.
9 min: Think the game’s pattern is set now, Tottenham making the running, but Stoke are pressuring quite well and snapping at their heels in their half.
6 min: Lovely play by Eriksen on the left byline, wriggling past Shawcross, and it’s a tap-in if anyone can get onto his pea-roller across goal ... but they can’t!
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5 min: Half-hearted Tottenham appeals for a penalty after Kane goes down as Wanyama crosses, but nothing doing really.
4 min: Alderweireld brings the ball forward though and feeds Walker, who makes half a yard by the byline but overcooks the cross.
3 min: No real possession for either side yet. Stoke may look to hit Crouch and then flood around him with attacking midfielders.
1 min: Early head tennis in midfield, where Stoke will certainly be looking to keep things tight.
Peeeeeeep! Away we go.
Big 90 minutes coming up. Spurs in white, going right to left. Stoke in light blue. Norwich have equalised against Ipswich by the way.
The teams are coming out at White Hot/Hart Lane! Harry Kane looks pensive. Hugo Lloris licks his bottom lip. Ryan Shawcross pulls up a shinpad. Kick-off is about five minutes away. How do you fancy?
Ipswich have scored at Carrow Road. Join Niall McVeigh for the last half-hour.
“White Hot Lane” reads Sky’s caption for this one. Spurs have won seven home Premier League games in a row. They need it to be eight ...
Pre-match reading, too, on this one. Sorry, Tottenham fans, but Pochettino says the club must be patient in its bid to win trophies. David Hytner has more!
While we wait for this one, Niall McVeigh is your man for Norwich v Ipswich – the East Anglian derby – and it’s goalless at half-time. Savour it here.
Today's teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Walker, Wanyama, Dembele, Davies, Alli, Eriksen, Kane. Subs: Son, Janssen, Vorm, Trippier, Sissoko, Wimmer, Winks.
Stoke: Grant, Bardsley, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters, Whelan, Adam, Sobhi, Allen, Arnautovic, Crouch. Subs: Muniesa, Berahino, Afellay, Diouf, Cameron, Imbula, Given.
Referee: Jonathan Moss
No start for Berahino. No start for Janssen. Tottenham are at pretty full tilt there, the still-injured Danny Rose excepted.
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Hello
Tottenham go again after their trudge down Disappointment Alley – or more accurately Disappointment Alli, eh! – on Thursday night. It’s a big game for them, this. They haven’t always mastered the whole Thursday-to-Sunday thing, a particularly patchy record last term being a case in point, but they need to shrug aside that thoroughly anticlimactic defeat to Gent quickly. Make no mistake, Tottenham went for it at Wembley, put a heck of a lot into it and were fairly unlucky - but how will that kick back at then today, a chance to go second in the Premier League, and will Mauricio Pochettino look to freshen things up with tired legs likely? Perhaps Vincent Janssen might get a start!
Easy, now. But easy is what it probably won’t be against Stoke City, who could hardly be any more mid-table and may well be bristling after West Ham’s draw yesterday dislodged them from their natural resting place of ninth. This was an entertaining 2-2 draw last season, albeit in the second game of term when things were still settling down, but Mark Hughes’ side came back from 2-0 down that time and Tottenham won’t want to switch off similarly again. Will there, as suggested in many quarters, be a first start from Saido Berahino – who Spurs seemed to have made it their lives’ mission to sign at one stage? There’s a storyline for you. There will be others – so please write, tweet, holler, telegram me in the build-up with your own take.
Kick-off is at 1.30pm UK time. See you soon!
Hello. Nick will be here soon. Here’s our preview of today’s match:
Tottenham will be keen to move on from their embarrassing Europa League exit at the hands of Gent on Thursday. The familiar surroundings of White Hart Lane should be a boost and it is hard to see Stoke troubling a home side looking to return to Europe’s elite competition next season. Mark Hughes, however, does have a wild card in Saido Berahino who is set to make his first Stoke start. Graham Searles
