Premier League football is back after the World Cup break, and we begin in the capital as the Bees host Spurs in a London derby. Both teams won their last games before the campaign went on pause and will be desperate to build up some momentum this lunchtime.
Brentford will be confident of another scalp after beating Manchester City last time out. Only the top three teams in the league – Newcastle, City and Arsenal – have lost fewer games this term than the Bees, whose home form has been the backbone of their current 10th-place standing.
Spurs, meanwhile, will be keen to overtake oil-rich Newcastle back into third place after a bit of a stutter across October and November, and welcome back Heung-min Son from injury, though Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur are injured. Harry Kane is pushing to play. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Nick Purewal at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Live updates
NO GOAL!
43min: Toney runs through and fires home Brentford’s second goal, but he’s offside.
More terrible defending from Spurs, either way. Tanganga got away with that one.
41min: Kane has had just 10 touches, according to Amazon. The fewest of any player.
40min: Slight break in play as Janelt gets some treatment.
35min: Good save from Forster! Brentford prod and probe on the edge of the area before Zanka turns smartly just inside to fire a shot straight at the keeper. A strong leg keeps the score at 1-0.
32min: It’s far more of an even contest now, but Brentford do look the more dangerous on the ball. Mbeumo is everywhere, and Toney is not far off him.
29min: Son again with a shot from distance but it’s easy for Raya, who gathers low to his right.
26min: Spurs are improving. First Son gets Spurs’ first shot on target with a curling effort from 25 yards before Kulusevski shimmies into the area and drills the ball down Raya’s throat.
23min: A break in play as both Mbembo and Toney are down.
Nick Purewal at Brentford Community Stadium
“Normal first-half service resumed for Spurs after the World Cup break then. It’s the fifth Premier League game in a row that Tottenham have slipped behind.
“A tap-in for Vitaly Janelt after Fraser Forster parried Christian Norgaard’s volleyed effort. But Ivan Toney’s flick to Bryan Mbeumo dragged Japhet Tanganga out of position and the visitors failed to recover any defensive shape.”
18min: Brentford are pushing for a second, winning two corners in quick succession, but Spurs just about get rid.
