FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Swansea City
And that’s that. Still no Premier League win at Wembley for Spurs. Swansea were magnificently resilient ... though Spurs will point to that late non-penalty decision, and Harry Kane clattering a shot onto the crossbar. They’re getting closer. Spurs rise to fifth spot; Swansea 14th. Manchester City and Crystal Palace aside, this is one tight division tonight.
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90 min +4: And now Routledge needlessly barges into Alli, out on the Spurs left. A chance for Spurs to load the box! Eriksen floats it in. Fernandez clears.
90 min +3: Routledge is booked for wasting time.
90 min +2: Eriksen floats a ball down the inside right. Llorente wins the header. The ball drops to Aurier, who has been excellent since he came on. But he can only flash a first-time shot wide right from a tight angle, close range.
90 min +1: Aurier gets into more space down the right. His cross is headed behind by Mawson. Fernandez half clears with a header. Trippier meets the dropping ball, and sends a screamer inches wide of the top-left corner. What a goal that would have been! But it’s just a goal kick.
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90 min: There will be four added minutes.
88 min: Alderweireld is booked for complaining about the non-decision. Insult added to injury.
87 min: Aurier busts into the box down the right, chasing a cute Dier pass. He goes over, the ball smacking off his arm as he falls. He’s booked for diving, though it did look as though there was a little contact from Ayew, tracking back behind. Not much, but enough. That should have been a penalty kick.
86 min: Routledge comes on for van der Hoorn. Carroll is booked for impeding Trippier as he tries to take a quick throw.
85 min: ... the ball’s hit deep. Alderweireld tees it up for Vertonghen, just to the left of goal, 12 yards out. Vertonghen slices a terrible effort high and wide left.
84 min: Dier bursts down the right wing and earns Tottenham’s tenth corner of the evening. And from the set piece ...
83 min: Ayew embarks on another sortie down the left. He ends up down a blind alley, but creativity’s not his priority: he holds up the ball for a precious period, and the clock continues to do its thing.
81 min: The free kick comes to nothing. The Spurs faithful give it one last push, hoping their team are similarly energised. The home side faff around in the midfield awhile. They appear to be going nowhere. But suddenly Vertonghen shuttles the ball forward, down the inside-left channel. Kane picks the ball up, 30 yards from goal but facing the wrong way. He turns inside, takes a stride, and unleashes a low fizzer which whistles just wide of the left-hand post. Not sure Fabianski had that covered were it on target. So close to the breakthrough at last!
80 min: Spurs are beginning to show signs of frustration. Fer turns Sanchez down the left wing, and that’s another free kick near the corner flag. Another chance to load the box, and it’s also eating away at the remaining time.
78 min: No! The free kick’s half cleared to Clucas, who chests down on the edge of the box and dreams of Matthew Le Tissier style glory. He shanks it away to the left, and is mocked by the masses for his trouble.
77 min: Ayew hotfoots it down the left, and draws a foul from a clumsy Aurier. A free kick near the corner flag. Could this be the classic smash and grab?
75 min: Aurier dribbles with purpose down the right. His cross is deflected off Olsson’s high arm, and out for a corner. No penalty, but again, that’s a reasonable shout, because the defender’s arm was up and out. More side than arm, maybe. The referee’s certainly not convinced, anyway.
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74 min: Former Swansea striker Fernando Llorente comes on for Son. He’s making his Premier League debut.
72 min: Bony comes on for Abraham.
71 min: Swansea can’t get a sniff of the ball. This is attack versus defence. But they’re holding firm. Eriksen loops another cross in from the right. It sails harmlessly out of play on the left.
69 min: A spot of admin: Aurier has come on for Sissoko. Meanwhile Spurs continue to flash the crosses into the Swansea box: Eriksen chips in from the right, only for Alli to miscue his header horribly from six yards with the goal gaping.
68 min: Some breaking news of a former Spurs boss: Harry Redknapp has left Birmingham City, after Preston left St Andrews with all the points today, Blues’ sixth defeat in a row. Oh Harry.
66 min: ... Eriksen flicks a header at the near post. It’s flying into the top right, but Fabianski tips it over the bar. Another corner, and Vertonghen drags a shot wide left from distance.
65 min: For the second time tonight, Wembley celebrates a goal when Son in fact ripples the side netting. Son had danced along the byline to the left of goal, very nearly scoring a twinkle-toed effort from a tight spot. But it’s just a corner. From which ...
63 min: The first yellow card of the evening is shown to van der Hoorn, for coming through the back of Alli once again. Swansea will feel aggrieved Sanchez didn’t beat their man to it a couple of minutes ago, as the Spurs defender impeded Abraham on the halfway line as the pair chased after a Swans clearance. But the referee didn’t even give the free kick. Abraham would have been away down the right otherwise.
60 min: With Swansea in danger of being over-run in midfield, Sanches - who has been quiet since the restart - is replaced by Fer.
58 min: Spurs come so close to scoring three times in quick order. First Son sends in a daisycutter from distance. Fernandez smothers. Then Son has another belt from a tight angle on the right. Not quite. Finally Sissoko picks up possession to the right of goal and tees up Kane, eight yards out. Kane leans back and twangs the crossbar with a fierce belt! How on earth are the home team not ahead?
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56 min: Trippier sweeps a cross into the Swansea box from the left. The ball sails over Alli’s head, then hits the hand of Olsson, whose left arm was hanging out. The player was surprised at Alli missing his header, but you’ve certainly seen them given for that.
55 min: Dier has a lash from 25 yards. It’s blocked by Fernandez. Swansea now can’t get out of their final third.
53 min: Space for Eriksen down the right. But his cross is way too deep, with the box full of team-mates. A little frustration spills down from the stands, though it’s soon drowned out by roars of encouragement. Swansea are being pushed deeper, and can’t get out of their own half.
51 min: Spurs are very much on the front foot, playing at a higher tempo now. Alli drops a shoulder and very nearly breaks clear in the Swansea area down the left, but Naughton does well to usher him away from danger. Then Trippier cuts inside from the same wing and nearly feeds Kane with a cute pass down the channel. Finally Son tries to burst into the box down the inside left, but overhits the ball he wants to chase after, and runs into van der Hoorn in the hope of buying a cheap free kick on the edge of the area. The referee’s not falling for that one.
49 min: Alderweireld goes on a power run down the right, hoping to break into the area. He smashes straight into Olsson, the pair falling to the ground. Alderweireld demands a penalty kick, but he’s not getting one.
48 min: Eriksen is given too much time and space 25 yards from goal. Eriksen looks to thread one into the bottom left, but he doesn’t quite get enough purchase on the ball and Fabianski is able to flop on the shot and smother.
And we’re off again! No changes. Spurs get the second half underway. Kane goes on an immediate run down the left, but after he offloads to Trippier, the move breaks down. Son has a dribble down the right, but ends up down a cul-de-sac. Then a third thrust, as Alli swings a cross in from the left. But it’s too high for Son at the far post. A strong start to the half by Spurs.
Half-time reading:
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Swansea City
And that’s the end of the first half. Spurs have been dominant, up until the final third anyway. Swansea have held their shape well, and go into the break deservedly on terms. It should be a very interesting second half: Spurs will no doubt try to turn up the pressure, while Swansea look to hold firm and think about a smash-and-grab raid on the break. Don’t go anywhere now!
45 min: Vertonghen, 30 yards from goal, tries to curl a dipper into the bottom right. It’s a very decent effort from the centre-back, but Fabianski is behind it all the way.
43 min: Swansea hoick long into the Spurs box. The ball comes off the back of Fernandez, but Swansea are awarded the corner. Unfortunately for those who like to get really angry about things on the internet, van der Hoorn’s header from the resulting set piece flies over the bar.
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42 min: Abraham flips the ball round Vertonghen, out on the right, and makes to zip off. The Spurs defender puts a stop to his gallop by pulling his shirt. It’s a free kick in the midfield, and should be a booking. But the referee is once again lenient. Both teams have benefited now.
40 min: Son appears out on the left this time. He whips a fine cross into the area, but nobody in white takes a chance. Fabianski gathers. It’s gone rather quiet.
38 min: Trippier sends Son scampering into the Swansea area down the right. Son fires low into the centre. Fernandez slices the ball hysterically over the bar from six yards. From the resulting corner, Trippier has a dig from distance. Nope.
36 min: Sanches is doing a fine job in front of the Swansea defence. He’s won his fair share of possession, nicking off with at least three balls he should never have been able to snaffle, always looking to launch quick breaks. Nothing’s quite come off, but it’s a promising performance so far.
34 min: Alli is once again upended down the Spurs left, van der Hoorn coming through the back of him and catching his ankle. The Swansea defender is fortunate to escape a booking. Alli offers his frayed sock as evidence. The referee remains unmoved.
32 min: Alli tries to squeeze through a gap down the Swansea left, and earns a free kick just to the side of the penalty area, Naughton again penalised. Eriksen loops the set piece into the mixer. Fernandez rises and clatters a clearing header back upfield. Wembley has fallen a little quiet as the home side struggle to break Swansea down. The away fans are still giving it plenty, though. Ar hyd y nos.
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30 min: Olsson gets down the Swansea left and whips in a dangerous cross. There’s nobody in red in the middle. Son makes a hash of trying to clear from the other wing, allowing Carroll to probe again. But a promising position comes to nought. Spurs clear their lines.
28 min: With this in mind, Eriksen mixes it up. He drops deep and curls a cross in from the right, looking for Son on the penalty spot. Son’s winding his neck back for a header, but Fernandez sticks his nut up first and eyebrows the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes from the resulting set piece.
27 min: Alli has a dig from 25 yards. It’s charged down the very second it leaves his boot. Swansea will be the happier side right now; they’re restricting Spurs to long-range efforts.
25 min: Sanches instigates a fine move by Swansea with a pass from deep that sends Abraham skedaddling down the right. Sanchez comes over to intercept and makes a total hash of his attempted tackle, allowing Abraham to burn past him and reach the byline. He pulls back for Ayew, and Spurs are very light in defence here. But Ayew can’t get his shot away, and the danger is over. Sanchez has looked very uncertain so far.
23 min: You’d expect Dier to flip one over the wall and aim for the top left, but he looks for the top-right corner instead. It’s a pretty lame effort, flying high and wide of the target. Fabianski, already over there, calmly watches it fly away from danger.
22 min: Son flips a pass down the inside-left channel for Vertonghen, who channels his inner Beckenbauer and threatens to dribble into the area. Naughton takes urgent action and brings his man down just in front of the area, to the left of the D. Free kick in a very dangerous position.
20 min: Carroll robs the ball from Kane in the middle of the Swansea half. He launches long, quickly, for Abraham, who threatens to bust clear of a slightly shaky looking Sanchez. But the new Spurs defender gathers himself and eventually wins the tussle. Just as well he did so, because Abraham would have been one-on-one otherwise.
18 min: The first lull of the match. Both teams take a little time to knock the ball around in the midfield. Then suddenly Spurs break down the left, Son exchanging passes with Eriksen, then Kane, then finally Alli as he drifts inside. A shot from the edge of the D flies miles over the bar, but what a pretty move.
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15 min: Son tries to clear from the left-back position, and is stopped from doing so by Abraham and Ayew. He eventually works a pass out of trouble, but for a second he was in a spot of trouble there. Swansea are pressing well.
13 min: Sanchez plays a sloppy backpass to Lloris without properly looking. Or thinking. Abraham very nearly nips in to intercept. Lloris blooters clear just in time. A nice open feel to this game now.
12 min: ... Sissoko blasts wildly over from 20 yards. Spurs are beginning to dominate.
11 min: Sanches loses possession in the middle of the park, and suddenly Sissoko is racing down the left. He slips the ball inside for Son, who smashes a shot goalwards from a tight angle. It’s heading into the top left, but Fabianksi sticks out a hand and turns it into the side netting. The ripple confuses half of Wembley, who cheer a goal, then settle for the corner. From which ...
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9 min: Kane curls a stunning free kick around the outside of the Swansea wall and towards the bottom right. Fabianski does very well to turn the effort, hit with pace, round the post. The resulting corner comes to nothing, but that was something else from the Spurs striker. That free kick was a long way out, he had no right to force the keeper into serious action.
8 min: Alli diddles Clucas in the midfield with a crisp turn and a nutmeg. Clucas clips him to the ground. A free kick, 35 yards out in a very central position. Kane appears to fancy it.
6 min: Lloris falls backwards while attempting to launch a simple kick upfield. The ball drops to Ayew, 25 yards out. He slashes a first-time volley six miles wide to the right. That was an awful clearance by the keeper, though.
4 min: Spurs keep hold of the ball for the first lengthy period of time. Eriksen then breaks the sterile mood with a burst down the left. His low cross is half cleared. Alli takes up possession and launches an effort towards the bottom left from 25 yards. It flies harmlessly wide of the post. The crowd respond with their favourite jazz spiritual.
2 min: A quiet start, Swansea seeing a little more of the ball than their hosts, but failing to string anything meaningful together.
And we’re off! Swansea get the party started. Hats off to Renato Sanches, by the way, for being the first footballer in about 20 years to acknowledge one of the cameras circling around the players during the warm-up, as opposed to staring into the middle distance with a studied supercool. A little raise of the eyebrows as if to say hello to everyone at home. What a polite young man. Hello, Renato.
The teams are out! Spurs are in their famous lilywhite, while Swansea are in second-choice red. It’s an aesthetic delight. Wembley looking resplendent as ever; a rare old atmosphere at the old/new place. We’ll be off in a minute!
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Paul Clement speaks! “We had a very honest reflection period after the game against Newcastle. Focus has to be on this performance now. We just want to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again moving forward. We have a great opportunity today at a fantastic stadium against a really good side, and we’re going to be tested, that’s for sure. We’ve shown in the past that we can get positive performances at good stadiums against good sides, so we have to have the belief that we can do that here. We have to defend very well collectively, but I have put a team out that can cause Spurs some problems themselves.”
Mauricio Pochettino speaks! “The team is playing well in different shapes, in different situations on the pitch. We are so flexible, we try to give some freshness to the team. And we try to give minutes to the whole squad, physical condition is so important in the Premier League. We try to win every game, we have a really strong squad, and everyone can play. But Harry Kane wants to play every game, his mentality is so strong, he is a fighter and a warrior.”
Mauricio Pochettino makes three changes to the team he sent out against Borussia Dortmund the other night. Serge Aurier, Ben Davies and Mousa Dembele drop to the bench, allowing Kieran Trippier, Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli to take their place.
Paul Clement makes just one change to the selection he named against Newcastle United last weekend. Leroy Fer makes way for defender Mike van der Hoorn.
The teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dier, Trippier, Sanchez, Sissoko, Son, Eriksen, Kane, Alli.
Subs: Vorm, Llorente, Dembele, Foyth, Aurier, Winks, Davies.
Swansea City: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Sanches, Clucas, van der Hoorn, Carroll, Abraham, Ayew.
Subs: Bony, Fer, Narsingh, Nordfeldt, Routledge, Rangel, Roque.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Welcome to the big Saturday tea-time match ...
... in which Tottenham Hotspur, having seen off the mighty Borussia Dortmund midweek in a mature display at Wembley, look to finally make the national stadium feel like home in the Premier League too. Meanwhile, goal-shy Swansea City hope to make it two wins out of two this season in London, after besting Crystal Palace on their last jaunt down the M4.
Tottenham are hot favourites, winning the last three meetings between these clubs to an aggregate of 10-2. The Swans haven’t beaten Spurs since 1982, and last avoided losing at their place in 1930. Nothing lasts forever, though, so you never know. Kick off is at 5.30pm. It’s on!
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