Hello and welcome to the biggest match of Jose Mourinho's career! Or his Tottenham career anyway. It's Spurs v Brentford in the League Cup semi-finals. Team news is in already...

Canos brings down Reguilon, allowing Mike Dean the sheer joy of flourishing a yellow card.

Just like that, Spurs lead! After a spell of possession at the back the work it out to Reguilon on the left. He swings in a cross that finds Sissoko completely unmarked near the six-yard box, and he guides a simple header into the top corner.

Brentford get a free kick in the Spurs half, and loft it into the Spurs area. After a bout of head tennis, N'Dombele bicycle kicks the ball clear.

Dasilva latches onto a loose ball in midfield for Brentford, skipping away from a few challenges and almost barrelling through a third into the Spurs area until he's dispossessed. Brentford have settled well here.

A quick one-two catches out Reguilon, and Mbuemo gets free down the right. He can't pick out anyone with his cross though, and Spurs clear.

We're underway!

The players take the knee before kick-off. There is no room for racism.

We're almost ready to go here at the Tottenham Stadium. Your referee tonight is Mike Dean.

You have to go back to 1948 to find the last time Brentford beat Spurs when they won 2-0 while both teams were in Division Two. The last six meetings between these two teams have all been in the League Cup; two-legged affairs in the early rounds, in which Spurs haven't lost home or away and advanced on each occasion. History might be against them, but this isn't a two-legger that offers a safety net for the top division team; this is a one shot deal for a place in the final at Wembley at the end of April.

Brentford aren’t here as a piece of admin, mind. They’ve had quite the run in the Carabao Cup so far; on their run to the semi-finals, they’ve dispatched four Premier League sides in a row in Southampton, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle United. They’re no plucky cliché either. Manager Thomas Frank has them on a 15-match unbeaten streak in the Championship where they sit in fourth place, six behind leaders Norwich and with a game in hand.

It’s a new year, and it ends in 1. I think you see where this is going. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has called this game his biggest during his time in charge at the club, and he’ll be as chipper as Chas and Dave if he can guide them to the Carabao Cup final. Should he do so, it will give Spurs a chance to beat one of the Manchester giants for their first trophy since 2008 and add to the lineage of the 1901 FA Cup, the 1921 FA Cup, the 1951 league title, the 1961 Double, the 1971 League Cup, the 1981 FA Cup and the 1991 FA Cup. That’d be great news for numerologists, Spurs fans or, if that Venn has a sliver, both.

Brentford: Raya, Dalsgaard, Pinnock, Sorensen, Henry, Janelt, Dasilva, Jensen, Mbeumo, Canos, Toney.

Tottenham: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lucas, Son, Kane.