Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for today's early Premier League kickoff as Burnley host
Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor!
This contest pits two in-form teams against each other, with Burnley still unbeaten in 2019 and Spurs refusing to go away in the title race. The visitors could close the gap on the leaders to two points with a victory today - at least until Liverpool are in action tomorrow - while Burnley are bidding to move six points clear of the relegation zone.
Let's have a quick look at the team news before kickoff...
BURNLEY STARTING XI: Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Barnes, Wood
SUBS: Lowton, Gudmundsson, Brady, Gibson, Crouch, Hart, Vydra
TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Foyth, Vertonghen, Rose; Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Son; Kane
SUBS: Gazzaniga, Davies, Walker-Peters, Wanyama, Lamela, Lucas, Llorente
KICKOFF: Here we go! Burnley get us underway at Turf Moor!
Lloris is called into action early as a corner is whipped in right on top of the keeper, and it is heading in before he tips it over the top.
Spurs may be favourites today, particularly with the return of Kane, but it will not be straightforward for them...
A long free kick is helped on by Tarkowski into the box and it very nearly falls for Wood, but the striker cannot get anything on it to turn it goalwards.
Rose whips a beauty of a cross into the box, but Kane is just on his heels a little and cannot get there ahead of Heaton, who gratefully collects it.
This has been an encouraging start from Burnley, who have held their own in these opening exchanges. Spurs are just beginning to see more of the ball inside the Burnley half, though.
Another high ball arrives right under the crossbar of Lloris, who is again under pressure and this time misses his attempted tip over the top - although the whistle has already gone for the ball swinging out of play before coming back in.
There is a lot of industry and effort going into this Burnley performance - they are working really hard to make things difficult for Spurs, and they have done exactly that so far.
Spurs are struggling to get Kane into the game at the moment, with the striker being forced deep to collect the ball most of the time so far. Heaton's goal remains untroubled.
CLOSE! Just as I say that, Kane does have his first sight of goal! The fit-again striker cuts inside from the right channel and works space for a shot from just outside the area, but he puts his low finish a yard or so wide of the target.
Spurs have needed late goals on a few occasions in recent games, and they may need to be patient again today on the basis of this opening 20 minutes or so.
Spurs are just beginning to knock on the door a little more now. They are enjoying a really good spell of pressure and possession at the moment, with Burnley pinned back for the first real time so far today.
Good play from Barnes as he rolls Foyth on the left channel before putting a dangerous low cross into a really good area, but Wood is not on the same wavelength and the ball goes through to safety.
Still not much to shout about midway through this first half - that Kane shot is the only real sight of goal either side have had so far.
Burnley look like a much sturdier team from front to back than they did just a couple of months ago. They remain in relegation trouble, but if they continue to play like this for the remainder of the campaign then it would be a surprise if they went down.
Spurs play a corner short and work the ball back to Winks, who blasts a shot into a crowd of players. The effort hits a Burnley man, sparking a brief scramble which is ended by Cork hammering the ball clear before it could fall to a white shirt.
We're half an hour into this match now, and it has not been a thriller in truth. We had to wait until the second half for Spurs to kick into gear in their last outing, and the neutrals will be hoping for a similar improvement one way or the other in this one too.
Good defending from Mee as he hooks a dangerous cross from Son away from inside his own six-yard box, with Kane lurking just behind him.
SAVE! The first save of the afternoon is made by Heaton, but it is a routine one as he gets down to collect Eriksen's tame effort.
CLOSE! Burnley hit straight back with their best attacking moment of the game so far! Hendrick battles down the right before pulling a low ball into the box for Barnes, who steers a really good effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Really good run from Son as he dribbles down the right, beating two defenders before just about keeping the ball in on the byline. He manages to play a low pass into the box too, but there are only Burnley players there to deal with it.
Sean Dyche will be feeling pretty good about his side's performance as he approach half time here. They have given very little away and have had that one chance to nick the lead at the other end - very much what their game plan is today.
Hendrick has been very disciplined with his tracking back today, and he does it again here to win a goal kick off Rose. The fans - and his manager - appreciated that one!
Just two minutes remaining until half time now and still Spurs are finding this very tough going. This would be a big missed opportunity if they drop points today considering they have games against Chelsea and Arsenal coming up.
HALF TIME: BURNLEY 0-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
The first half comes to an end at Turf Moor and it remains goalless in what has been a tight and closely-contested match so far.
Burnley have made things very difficult for Spurs so far and have held their own in the opening 45 minutes, and they will fancy their chances of continuing their unbeaten run on the basis of the game so far.
Tottenham's sights of goal have been few and far between in this match so far, with Eriksen registering a tame strike on target and the returning Harry Kane sending one narrowly wide.
On the whole they have found Burnley really difficult to break down, though, and they will need to show more in the final third if they are to pick up the win they need here.
Most of Burnley's efforts have been focused on keeping Spurs at bay, but they have also made a few bright breaks forward themselves and it has by no means been a case of parking the bus.
The hosts' best attacking moment came from Ashley Barnes, who was picked out by Hendrick in the box and curled a fine effort narrowly over the crossbar.
MATCH STATS!
Spurs enjoyed 72% of the ball in that first half, but the stats don't necessarily paint an accurate picture of this game so far. You can check out all of the stats by clicking here.
KICKOFF: Spurs get us back underway at Turf Moor!
Spurs again play a corner short and Burnley are again a little slow to react. Son pulls the ball back for Rose, but Cork is quickly out to block the shot.
SAVE! It may take a moment of magic to open up this Burnley defence, and Kane almost provides it here! The striker lets fly from at least 30 yards out and the ball is destined for the top corner, but Heaton makes a brilliant one-handed flying save to turn it behind for a corner.
Tottenham are really upping the ante at the start of this second half. They have Burnley penned back into their own third and the pressure is relentless right now.
CHANCE! Half a chance for Spurs as Eriksen swings a free kick into the box which Foyth meets, but he cannot get a clean header on the ball and it doesn't trouble Heaton.
There was a nice moment between Kane and Heaton after the save from that long-range piledriver in which both players acknowledged the quality of what the other had just done. Heaton is making a big claim to get back in the England squad alongside Kane at the moment.
GOAL! BURNLEY 1-0 TOTTENHAM (CHRIS WOOD)
GOAL! First blood to Burnley as
Chris Wood gives the hosts a lead against the run of play!
There is a debate as to whether it should have been a corner in the first place - Vertonghen is adamant that it shouldn't have been - but from there the delivery is brilliant and Wood steers his header in off the underside of the crossbar.
Having now seen a replay of the incident which led to the corner, Vertonghen was right to be so annoyed. It was a difficult one, but the ball came off Hendrick last.
Moments before that goal came this brilliant stop from Heaton, which looks all the more important now...
TOTTENHAM SUB: Change for Spurs here as Fernando Llorente replaces Winks.
He may fly under the radar a little, but Wood is one of the league's in-form players right now...
YELLOW CARD! Llorente becomes the first player in the book this afternoon for a robust aerial challenge.
GOAL! BURNLEY 1-1 TOTTENHAM (HARRY KANE)
GOAL! Back in the team and back amongst the goals! There are no signs of rust here as Kane stabs his finish beyond Heaton expertly, firing it in off the post. The striker cleverly went beyond the last defender from a throw-in - from which you cannot be offside, of course - and that gave him the crucial yards ahead of Mee as he advanced into the area and finished from a tight angle.
There is some controversy about that goal too as Rose stole a good five yards - perhaps more - from where his throw-in should have been taken.
YELLOW CARD! The Burnley fans want a red, but Mike Dean only produces a yellow for Foyth's reckless challenge on Wood. The defender just pulled out at the end, which saved him there.
Westwood lines up the resulting free kick, but fires his effort straight into the wall.
CHANCE! Big chance for Burnley to regain the lead! Wood and Westwood both combine to tee up Hendrick, who steers his effort just past the far post from a really good position.
YELLOW CARD! Bardsley is the latest in the book for another high and rash challenge on Rose. He is perhaps fortunate to escape red there too!
Just over 15 minutes remaining for Spurs to turn this one point into three now, although Burnley are by no means out of the running either. They are showing enough to suggest that they could win this game too.
Another Burnley corner causes problems as Tarkowski meets the ball at the back post, but his header back into the middle is claimed by Lloris.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Attacking change from Pochettino as Erik Lamela replaces Foyth.
CHANCE! Another big chance for Burnley! Wood steals in behind the defence before putting a low cross into the box which makes it all the way through to McNeil. The midfielder hits it first time, but Lloris makes the save and Spurs are then able to hack the ball clear.
Burnley have had the chances to win this game and they may just kick themselves if they only come away with a point - a sign of how well they have done against this Tottenham side.
BURNLEY SUBS: Double change from Burnley as Hendrick and McNeil are replaced by Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady.
A draw may not completely rule Spurs out of the title race, but it certainly won't do their chances of catching Liverpool and Man City much good.
GOAL! BURNLEY 2-1 TOTTENHAM (ASHLEY BARNES)
GOAL! Burnley regain the lead with just seven minutes remaining, and that Tottenham title challenge could well be over now! Gudmundsson has the initial shot, but the fact that he scuffs it means that it turns into a brilliant ball across the face of goal for Barnes to convert from close range!
Spurs have five minutes to rescue their title hopes here! It is no more than Burnley deserve as they have been really good today, but this would be a hammer blow for Spurs.
YELLOW CARD! Lamela goes into the book for a moment of dissent.
TOTTENHAM SUB: A third and final change for Spurs sees Lucas Moura replace Son.
SHOT! A Kane cross is only cleared as far as Eriksen, but he fires his first-time effort well over the crossbar from range.
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
CHANCE! A late chance for Spurs to at least salvage a point as Lamela climbs highest inside the box, but his close-range header lacks power and Heaton is able to gather.
FULL TIME: BURNLEY 2-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
A huge win for Burnley over Spurs as the Clarets dent Tottenham's title hopes while giving their own survival chances a big boost!
Goals from Wood and Barnes either side of the fit-again Kane's equaliser saw the hosts continue their fine recent form to make it now eight games without defeat in the Premier League - their best run since 1966.
Spurs, meanwhile, may well have seen their title chances take a fatal blow today.
Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's early Premier League kickoff as Tottenham fall to a damaging defeat at the hands of in-form Burnley. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
