Tottenham 4-0 Stoke City - Premier League as it happened

Full-time: Tottenham 4-0 Stoke City

A blistering first-half performance from Tottenham helps get their season back on track. A hat-trick from Harry Kane and a close-range finish from Dele Alli gave Spurs their third consecutive 4-0 win over Stoke, who were simply outclassed in every aspect.

Stoke fought a little in the second period but Spurs were never troubled. Their only concern from the match will be Toby Alderweireld, who had to be withdrawn with a suspected thigh problem.

That's all for our coverage but do head over to our liveblog of the EFL Cup Final, as Manchester United face Southampton for the first piece of silverware this season.

Alli almost doubles his tally for the afternoon but his effort squirms through the legs of Grant and away. Lovely play from Alli to get away from Shawcross.

Wanyama receives a yellow card for a late challenge on Allen, who squares up to the Kenyan. Not the wisest move, Joe...

Final change for Spurs as Heung-min Son replaces hat-trick hero Harry Kane, who departs to a standing ovation.

Not the impact Berahino perhaps would have hoped. Kane finds Walker but Grant is equal to the shot.

Eriksen drives at Stoke again but his effort balloons over. Cameron replaces Whelan as Hughes makes his final change. 10 minutes left to play.

The game is officially in its 'lull' phase. Tottenham canter around and win a corner through Davies, but it comes to nothing, though there were claims of handball against Shawcross. Replays show that the ball did indeed hit his hand.

Tottenham have had 17 attempts on goal, compared to Stoke's 5. Six have been o target, four have found the net.

The phrase 'cut a frustrated figure' is bandied around a lot these days...

Kane draws another fine save from Grant with a splendid curled effort from outside the area.

Eriksen is running the show at the moment. He finds Winks, who sees it effort deflected for a corner. Eriksen's short corner to Dembele comes to nothing, though, and Stoke ride out the storm.

Wimmer receives a yellow card for stopping compatriot Arnautovic in his tracks. Some good work between Sobhi and Allen leads to the Welshman firing a dangerous cross through the six-yard box, but Walker manages to clear.

Harry Winks is set to come on for Spurs in place of Jan Vertonghen. The change means Spurs will now operate with a four-man defence.

Berahino almost latches onto Sobhi's dinked pass but the danger is snuffed out by Wimmer. Afellay is then easily dispossessed by Wanyama and gives away a foul for tugging Dembele.

Eriksen's delivery almost brings a fifth but Stoke clear and set free Arnautovic, who surges through the pitch and wins a corner.

Stoke pressing for a consolation but Lloris just about manages to deal with Adam's searching effort.

Crouch receives warm applause from all four corners of White Hart Lane as he is replaced by Berahino, while Adam is booed off as he makes way for Afellay.

Dier forces an exquisite save from Grant but was offside as he did so. 4-0, half an hour to go.

Harry Kane is now on the floor after suffering an awkward fall when trying to connect with an Eriksen delivery. The England international is in some discomfort and is currently receiving treatment.

Stoke almost pulled one back but Dier and Vertonghen just about quell the immediate danger. Hughes is set to make a double change with Berahino and Afellay set to enter the fray.

Eriksen has been given license to roam and his cross from the left wing was an inviting one, but Martins Indi manages to alleviate any potential danger. Spurs seemingly sated by their four-goal margin and don't seem too intent on adding to it.

Dele Alli tries to find the goal spectacularly with an overhead kick after being found by Walker, but the 20-year-old's effort was never troubling Grant.

A concern for Tottenham early in the second half as Toby Alderweireld is down, holding his inner thigh. The Belgian shakes his head and grimaces as he walks off the pitch.

Kevin Wimmer is set to be introduced in Alderweireld's place. He has walked straight down the tunnel.

We are underway in the second half, at the second time of asking. More of the same from Kane?

The Great Dane.

Are you sure about that, Mark?

Half-time: Tottenham 4-0 Stoke City

Crisis, what crisis?

Spurs have completely overpowered sorry Stoke, with Harry Kane stealing the show. The forward opened the scoring with a measured drive, doubled the lead with a sublime half-volley and completed his hat-trick with a deflected free-kick.

He then turned provider for the maligned Dele Alli, who has been targeted by Stoke's players. The attacker slid home to make it four and add gloss to an already comprehensive, crushing scoreline.

Pochettino will hope for more of the same, but Mark Hughes will be tearing his hair out at his team, who have been outclassed in every aspect.

Kane flicks the ball past Pieters with supreme ease and charges into the box.

Instead of going for his fourth, the England international looks up and finds Alli, who slides in to make it 4-0.

GOAL! Tottenham 4-0 Stoke City (Alli)

Strong work from Alli allows Davies to whip a teasing ball in but he can't quite find Kane, who was lurking at the back post.

Arnautovic is the third Stoke player in the book. The Austrian cynically tripped Alli, who has kept his aggression in check. The free-kick comes to nothing and Spurs eventually pass it back to Lloris.

It's a first half hat-trick for Kane, though it comes with a large slice of fortune courtesy of Crouch.

The Tottenham hero's low free-kick deflected the former Spurs star, giving Grant no chance whatsoever.

GOAL! Tottenham 3-0 Stoke City (Kane)

Adam catches Alli once again and gives away a dangerous free-kick. The Scot is walking a tightrope now, already on a yellow card.

What's the matter Poch? Spurs are on fire!

It's a sublime finish from Kane. Eriksen's corner finds the 23-year-old on the edge of the area, and he lasers the balls perfectly into the bottom corner. The technique was simply sensational, and Wanyama did well to let the ball through his legs.

Kane is now on course for the perfect hat-trick and has scored five goals in his last three games against Stoke.

GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Stoke City (Kane)

Stoke invade Tottenham's territory through Sobhi. The Egyptian finds Adam, who in turn searches for Arnautovic, but Walker does well to track back and intercept.

The right-back is then involved at the other end as he tests Grants with a powerful short from otuside the area.

Kane almost gets his second! The England international is fed by Dembele in the left channel, cuts in unchallenged and fires a rasping effort just over the bar. Excellent passage of play from Spurs.

Walker's inviting cross is dealt with by Grant, but Spurs continue to ramp up the pressure. They eventually win a corner which finds Vertonghen, who rattles the bar with a fantastic effort.

Adam the second Stoke midfielder in the book as he charges into Dele Alli.

Crouch cannot believe he hasn't scored!

Pieters delivers a lovely low cross that Crouch connects with from five yards out, but somehow his effort is saved by the boot of Lloris. Replays show that Crouch was offside, but what a chance for the veteran and what a save from the Spurs captain.

Walker fires a speculative scissor kick over the bar to cap off a lovely Spurs move which was started by Alderweireld. Spurs largely dominant midway through the first half.

Glenn Whelan is shown a yellow card for a nasty-looking challenge on Vertonghen, who is only just back from an ankle problem. The studs were showing from the Irishman.

Bardsley then receives a lecture from Jon Moss for dissent. Frustrations bubbling over among Mark Hughes' men.

The moment Kane scored the 100th goal of his club career.

Charlie Adam's corner searches for Crouch but Dembele gets an important flick on the ball. Tottenham immediately surge up the pitch and pen the visitors back by their own penalty area. Pochettino's men look refreshed, despite their hectic recent schedule.

Kane is the first Spurs striker since Jimmy Greaves to register 20 goals or more for three consecutive seasons. Esteemed company indeed.

It's Kane's 100th goal of his club career!

The England international pounces on a loose ball in the box and fires a well-struck effort between the legs of Shawcross and past Grant. Tottenham's early pressure pays off.

GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Stoke (Kane)

Crouch wins a foul on the halfway line after being kicked by Alderweireld. the veteran then bellows at Jon Moss after being grappled by Walker.

Stoke keep up the pressure and force Dembele into making a blind pass which is picked up by Allen, but his shot does not trouble Lloris.

Arnautovic applies pressure and wins Stoke a throw high up the pitch. Tottenham retrieve it easily, though, and almost carve out an opening through Wanyama and Eriksen. Positive start by the hosts.

Eriksen nutmegs Shawcross sensationally but his cross along the six yard box was not met by a Tottenham player. Spurs already getting around the back of Stoke, six minutes gone.

Aldeweireld roams through Stoke's midfield and seeks out Walker, who overcooks his cross. The England international then feeds Wanyama who searches for Kane, but the forward is muscled out of the reckoning by Stoke's centre-backs.

Stoke are trying to exploit Tottenham's right flank, Crouch has already drifted out there looking to put pressure on Walker.

Glenn Whelan gets us underway at White Hart Lane. With seconds Walker intercepts and finds Alli, who couldn't control the pass.

Both teams are walking out of the tunnel to the roar of the Tottenham faithful.

Kick off just moments away now. Let's recap today's team news.

Tottenham: Lloris (C), Walker, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Kane.

Stoke City: Grant; Bardsley, Shawcross, M. Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Adam; Arnautovic, Allen, Ramadan; Crouch.

Home is where the heart is for Spurs, it seems.

Toby Alderweireld has spoken of his and his Tottenham teammates' desire to win silverware sooner rather than later.

"Sometimes a defeat makes you stronger, it's strange but its true. Sunday is the next important game, at home we have to get three points and go for the top four. We want to win something, the desire of the group is there to achieve big things.

"We want trophies, you have to have dreams and goals, it's not easy but this group is capable of it. We improved a lot from 18 months ago, sometimes we have setbacks but in the end you have to fight and try to become a better team every year.

Some pre-match thoughts from Mauricio Pochettino.

"We were disappointed after Gent but it's a good opportunity to show that we are ready, that we can fight and we've recovered.

On Dele Alli: "We keep going, this is an opportunity to show his quality, play football and enjoy football. He'll focus on that."

Kick off just half an hour away. Spurs can leapfrog Manchester City with a win against Stoke, while the Potters can climb to ninth with three points at White Hart Lane.

Stoke City are in tow, washbags in tow, of course. Four on display in these pictures.

Goals like this from either team would be warmly welcomed today.

Washbags aplenty on show as Spurs hop off the team bus.

Tottenham are still unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season but will need to find a way of transferring that form to Wembley next season.

Spurs have struggled alarmingly at England's home and will undoubtedly be sad to say farewell to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham are without Danny Rose but are otherwise full-strength, while there is no start for Stoke's Saido Berahino, who has been named among the substitutes.

Former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch leads the line for the Potters, while highly touted Egyptian Ramadhan Sobhi also starts at White Hart Lane. Xherdan Shaqiri, who has been struggling for fitness in recent weeks, misses out.

SUBSTITUTES

Tottenham: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Winks, Sissoko, Son, Janssen.

Stoke City: Given; Muniesa, Berahino, Afellay, Diouf, Cameron, Imbula.

TEAM NEWS

Stoke City: Grant; Bardsley, Shawcross (C), M. Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Adam; Arnautovic, Allen, Ramadan; Crouch.

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham: Lloris (C), Walker, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Kane.

The selfie stick is out in force... can Spurs deliver a picturesque performance this afternoon? Team news less than 10 minutes away.

Tottenham attacker Dele Alli will presumably start against Stoke City this afternoon, though the 20-year-old has widespread received criticism in recent days after his horror tackle on Gent's Brecht Dejaegere.

Mauricio Pochettino refused to lay into his star attacker after the game and says Alli now needs to 'move on and improve'.

"He is sad. In football it happens, that situation<" said Pochettino. "He knows he made a mistake because he was sent off but in football it happens and now he is trying to move on and improve. This is the situation but we must work.

"Three seconds before he was fouled, if we watch, it was a clear foul. It is not to blame the referee but his action comes in very, very soon. It's a bad tackle and he deserves the sending off and the red card. He knows. This could always happen.

Could Saido Berahino come back to haunt Tottenham?

Spurs made four offers for the Burundi-born forward but failed to bring him to White Hart Lane from West Bromwich Albion. The 23-year-old did eventually seal a move away from the Hawthorns and Stoke boss Mark Hughes could unleash him on Pochettino's men.

"Saido Berahino is looking really sharp and we are pleased with what we are seeing, Hughes said in his press conference. "He is close to being ready to start now. Whether this weekend is too early for him we will have to wait and see. He is itching to start matches now, we are excited by him. He will play a part on Sunday because he is showing the qualities that attracted us to him in the first place."

Good afternoon and welcome to IB Times UK's live coverage of Tottenham vs Stoke City.

Spurs have endured a rocky patch in recent weeks and need a victory against Mark Hughes's side in order to get their season back on track. Mauricio Pochettino's men were knocked out of the Europa League by Gent on Thursday evening and could slip out of the top four over the next couple of weeks if results don't improve.

Stoke are in fairly impressive form having lost just one of their last six matches in the Premier League but do not seem to enjoy playing Tottenham if past results are anything to go by. Spurs have beaten the Potters 4-0 consecutively and will hope for a similar scoreline today at White Hart Lane today.

Stick with us for the latest updates and reaction to the goings on in north London. Team news will reach us in a little over half an hour.