Welcome to Tottenham versus Sunderland at White Hart Lane. Most of the focus ahead of this game is on Jermain Defoe's return to the Premier League after signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Black Cats. Will he start against the team he scored 142 goals for? We'll soon find out.

Walker breaks down the right wing for Tottenham at pace but is eventually crowded as he gets over the halfway line.

There is finally a spell of possession for the visitors after a frantic start. Harry Kane has started the game to the right of Roberto Soldado and, so far, is not playing an an out-and-out striker.

Tottenham continue to look threatening with several low crosses into the area. Sunderland get them away but look vulnerable in the early stages.

Pantilimon has to charge off his line to force Nacer Chadli wide. The Romanian goalkeeper does very well and eventually wins the goalkick.

Sunderland have a big appeal for a penalty turned down as Defoe tries to twist past Vertonghen in the area. The Sunderland new-boy goes down but Chris Foy only gives a corner. Probably a good call.

GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Sunderland. It's a goal for Tottenham and a very rare one for Jan Vertonghen! A long ball into the box is scuffed out to the edge of the box where the Belgian defender swings a shot towards goal. It takes a big deflection of O'Shea and drops in. It's a brilliant start for the home side.

Tottenham have started sharply, passing the ball crisply but not getting behind a deep-lying Sunderland team.

Referee Chris Foy blows his whistle and we're underway!

The two South American managers shake hands and have a little cuddle. Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is a popular figure at White Hart Lane, having been a player and a coach at the club.

Sunderland are in their relatively inoffensive blue away kit today. There are some real horrors this season.

Well then...

"Who scored two goals for Sunderland the last time they beat Spurs?", I hear nobody ask... Former Spurs striker Darren Bent, that's who. Will it be from friend to Defoe today?

The omens are good for Spurs today, as the home side are now nine games unbeaten against today's opponents. Sunderland seem to be a better side away from home though, with just one defeat in their last six games on the road.

Don't ever say that football fans aren't cultured...

So what are the stakes for the game today? Well, for Spurs the ever-satisfying opportunity to go above Arsenal, even if just for a day, is there, if they can claim a win. Mauricio Pochettino's side could even go level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United if the Red Devils lose at Loftus Road. Sunderland, meanwhile, will consider any points a positive result as they fight to stay out of the relegation zone. The Black Cats are just a point above Hull and QPR, who are both in the bottom three, and a defeat could leave them with the worst goal difference in the league.

Soldado makes his first start in the Premier League for almost a month.

Another likely goalscorer is the very, very in-form Harry Kane, who returns to the Tottenham team after being rested during Wednesday's FA Cup replay against Burnley. The striker has scored six goals in his last six games and leads the line again, while Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Nacer Chadli, Moussa Dembele and Christian Eriksen also returning to the starting line-up.

Everyone expects Jermain Defoe to score today...

So Defoe does start for Sunderland as Gus Poyet makes four changes to the side that lost rather meekly at home to Liverpool last weekend. The Black Cats change to a 5-3-2 formation and bring in Steven Fletcher, Jack Rodwell and Billy Jones, too, at the expense of Liam Bridcutt, Jordi Gomez, Connor Wickham and Emanuele Giaccherini.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Chadli, Stambouli, Dembele, Eriksen, Kane, Soldado... SUBS: Paulinho, Adebayor, Vorm, Naughton, Townsend, Capoue, Davies.

///SUNDERLAND: Pantilimon, Jones, Vergini, O'Shea, Brown, van Aanholt, Larsson, Rodwell, Johnson, Fletcher, Defoe... SUBS: Wickham, Jordi Gomez, Graham, Coates, Giaccherini, Mannone, Buckley.