Tottenham Hotspur maintained their chances of a top-four finish on Saturday with a comfortable 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion.
The visitors took the lead through Christian Eriksen's perfectly-executed free kick on seven minutes, while Harry Kane fired the ball past Ben Foster to make it 2-0 just six minutes later.
Spurs then sealed the points midway through the second half when Kane scored from the penalty spot, taking his tally to 20 goals for the season.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how all of the action unfolded at The Hawthorns.
2.01pmGood afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of today's Premier League clash between West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur at The Hawthorns. The hosts are looking to continue their upturn in fortunes under new manager Tony Pulis, while the visitors can boost their hosts of a top-four finish with a win. Team news will be here shortly.
2.03pmWEST BROM: Foster; Wisdom, McAuley, Dawson, Lescott; Yacob, Brunt, Morrison, McManaman; Anichebe, Berahino
2.04pmWEST BROM SUBS: Rose, Pocognoli, Baird, Gardner, Dorrans, Sessegnon, Ideye
2.07pmThe big news from a West Brom perspective is that new signing Callum McManaman goes straight into the starting XI. The winger only joined the club three days ago, but Tony Pulis is happy to throw him into the thick of the action. The Baggies have made a further two changes following last weekend's win over Birmingham City in the FA Cup, with Ben Foster and James Morrison both returning. Craig Gardner and Stephane Sessegnon drop to the bench.
2.09pmSPURS: Lloris; Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose; Dembele, Mason; Eriksen, Paulinho, Lamela; Kane
2.10pmSPURS SUBS: Vorm, Davies, Dier, Chadli, Stambouli, Townsend, Soldado
2.10pmSPURS SUBS: Vorm, Davies, Dier, Chadli, Stambouli, Townsend, Soldado
2.13pmAfter seeing his side reach the League Cup final in midweek, Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino has made a total of four changes for today's game. Hugo Lloris is back in goal for the visitors, while Federico Fazio, Danny Rose and Paulinho also come in. Andros Townsend and Roberto Soldado are among the substitutes.
© AFP
2.16pmWest Brom have certainly been boosted by Tony Pulis's recent arrival at the club, and they can go as high as 12th place in the table with a victory today. The Baggies have shown the type of resilience that you would associate with the Welshman, though they will also be aware that they are just three points above the drop zone. Considering the nature of the Premier League, they are far from safe.
2.19pmFor Tottenham, they know that a win this afternoon would give them a big lift in their quest for Champions League qualification. The North-London club currently occupy sixth spot in the table, but three points would temporarily move them above bitter rivals Arsenal and into fifth position. Not a bad incentive at all. Also, you would think that Pochettino's players will be feeling pretty confident after booking themselves a place in the League Cup final.
2.22pmTony Pulis has been heaping praise on Spurs youngster Harry Kane in the build-up to this game, crediting the striker for his positive attitude and commitment to hard work:
"Kane looks as though he is a lad who has bitten the arm off to get that chance and he is not going to let it go. That is what you want; you want players to have that desire and commitment. It is a wonderful game and a wonderful life and they get paid extraordinary amounts of money.
"Sometimes they get lost in the wash, where really and truthfully their whole life should be committed to becoming better players, to performing better week in, week out. There are so many things that surround footballers these days that sometimes they forget the main reason they are what they are is because they have been blessed with a talent to play football and they have to be reminded of that at times.
"Kane has been outstanding. His attitude is so refreshing, and he has proven beyond doubt he has the talent to play in the Premier League."
2.25pmMauricio Pochettino: "It's an important game for us. After getting to the final, it's time to continue to fight in the same way in the Premier League. West Brom is a tough team, they have a new manager in Tony Pulis, a good friend of mine, and we have a difficult game ahead.
"A new manager will always put his ideas to the team and play in a different way. That is always a danger but we need to be focused on our game. We have a lot of games ahead in the next weeks, all different, all difficult. We need to be focused on every game and we start at West Brom."
2.30pmGot a spare couple of minutes before kickoff? Why not check out our video preview of this afternoon's encounter:
2.33pmIt will be interesting to see how McManaman fares today. He hasn't played in the top flight for a couple of years now, but he's certainly got the talent to make an impact during this game. Berahino and Anichebe are also likely to give the Spurs defence plenty to think about. As for the visitors, there can be no doubt that Eriksen is currently their man of the moment. The Dane's late goal against Sheffield United saved them having to play extra time in Wednesday's League Cup semi-final second leg at Bramall Lane, and that wasn't the first time that he's struck late to swing a game in their favour this season. Tony Pulis has probably come up with a plan to try to stifle the creative midfielder.
2.36pmHEAD TO HEAD: When it comes to past meetings between these teams, it's West Brom who hold the superior record. The Baggies have won 49 games compared to 46 victories for Spurs. There have also been 30 draws since the sides first played each other over 100 years ago.
2.39pmThis season's reverse fixture at White Hart Lane saw West Brom cause a bit of an upset with a 1-0 victory as James Morrison headed in the winner during the second half. The Baggies had failed to beat Tottenham in their previous nine games before that result.
2.42pmUPDATE! Today's early game in the Premier League has just finished at the KC Stadium, where Newcastle United have cruised to a 3-0 win over Hull City. John Carver, having recently been appointed Newcastle manager until the end of the season, will be absolutely delighted with that result. Meanwhile, Hull boss Steve Bruce will be feeling that little bit more exasperated.
2.45pm
The lads get into a huddle midway through their warm-up on a very chilly afternoon in the Black Country. #COYS pic.twitter.com/dZsxSHzxRe
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 31, 20152.48pmJust over 10 minutes until kickoff, and The Hawthorns is filling up nicely. There are plenty of West Brom fans in attendance today, while Spurs have also brought along a healthy contingent. At the risk of putting a curse on this game, it could be a pretty open encounter over the course of the next 90 minutes.
2.54pmThere are one or two players starting to emerge in the tunnel as we edge closer to kickoff. Hugo Lloris's return in goal is sure to be a boost for Spurs. The Frenchman has been in excellent form this season, and he could be busy this afternoon if West Brom push forward and take the game to their opponents.
2.56pmHere come the teams!
1 minKICKOFF! The players are out, the pre-match handshakes have been done, and it will be Spurs to get us underway. Here we go!
3 minIt's been a good start from Spurs, who are doing most of the pressing during these opening stages. Eriksen has already been in the thick of it, trying to thread a couple of enticing balls through to Kane, but the West Brom defence has dealt with the danger on both occasions.
5 minGOAL! WEST BROM 0-1 SPURS (ERIKSEN)
5 minSpurs take an early lead as Eriksen curls a wonderful free kick into the top corner from 20 yards. It was Dembele who won the foul on the edge of the box, but it was all about Eriksen after that as he floated the ball over the wall and past Foster. The West Brom goalkeeper could maybe have done a bit better there, though don't let that take anything away from the quality of the strike.
8 minWest Brom are struggling to get themselves into this match at the moment. A rare attack from the hosts sees McManaman and Brunt combine, only for the latter's cross to be cut out by Fazio. Anichebe then twists and turns in the box before scuffing his shot at Lloris.
11 minCHANCE! Almost a strange second goal for Spurs as Lescott's attempted clearance hits the onrushing Walker before the ball is collected by Foster. Tottenham's midfielders are being afforded lots of space at the minute, which is not good news for West Brom. With the likes of Lamela, Mason and Eriksen all enjoying possession, the Baggies need to do a better job of closing them down.
14 minGOAL! WEST BROM 0-2 SPURS (KANE)
14 minTony Pulis was signing his praises before the match, and Harry Kane has just shown why he is thought of so highly. A quick Spurs break sees Dembele pick out Kane on the edge of the box before the striker takes one touch and fires the ball into the back of the net with real venom. That was clinical.
17 minAs you might imagine, The Hawthorns is a subdued place right now. The West Brom players seem a bit shocked, while their Spurs counterparts have their tails up. The Baggies are still finding it really difficult to make any progress in the opposition half. Berahino and Anichebe have hardly had a touch so far.
19 min
19 - No Premier League player has scored more goals in all competitions this season than Harry Kane (now 19 - level with Aguero). Able.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 31, 201522 minWest Brom are certainly in need of some inspiration from somewhere. McManaman's debut has been a subdued affair so far, with the winger cutting an isolated figure out on the right. Spurs are doing a great job of keeping hold of the ball, frustrating their opponents and the home fans.
25 minThat's better from the hosts. Berahino turns his marker about 25 yards from goal before feeding the ball into Anichebe. The striker holds off his man and tries to flick a pass back through to Berahino, who has surged into the area, but Spurs clear the danger. Morrison then has a crack from long range, only for his effort to fly straight at Lloris.
26 minSAVE! What a stop from Lloris to deny what would have been a great goal for West Brom. Anichebe leads a counter-attack for the home side before laying the ball off to Morrison, who is about 25 yards out. The Scot smacks a shot that looks destined for the top corner, but Lloris gets up to tip it away with one hand.
29 minSAVE! Lloris with another superb stop! West Brom work a clever free kick on the edge of the box that sees Berahino played in down the left. The striker's cross is met by Yacob, but his low drive from closer range is kept out by the Spurs captain. What reflexes from the Frenchman!
32 minWest Brom should probably have at least a goal to their name following that spell, but they can be encouraged by their level of performance over the past couple of minutes. The Baggies suddenly look like a different side, coming to life thanks largely to Anichebe.
35 minThis is a much more even game now. West Brom are enjoying more of the ball deep in opposition territory, as demonstrated by Brunt's corner that Lloris collects. The home fans were sounding pretty deflated when Spurs scored their second goal, but they will be a lot more optimistic after seeing their team show more fight in key areas.
37 minOFF THE BAR! So close for West Brom! Morrison whips a free kick into the box that Dawson gets a head to, but the defender's effort comes back off the woodwork. A goal before half time for the hosts would change the dynamic of this match completely.
40 minDespite West Brom's awakening, Spurs aren't looking too worried as we head into the final five minutes of the half. The visitors are still pushing forward whenever they can, trying to find what would surely be a killer third goal. One counter-attack looks promising as Lamela and Eriksen link up, only for the move to break down when Dembele handles the ball.
43 minBrunt is lucky to get away with a yellow card there after chopping down Lamela from behind. That was not the cleverest of challenges from the West Brom skipper. Referee Kevin Friend has done well so far, though it looks as if he got that one wrong.
45 minThere will be a minimum of TWO MINUTES added time at the end of the half...
45+2 minHALF TIME: WEST BROM 0-2 SPURS
3.48pmThe half-time whistle goes, bringing the curtain down on a very good opening 45 minutes from Spurs. The visitors lead 2-0 thanks to those early goals from Eriksen and Kane.
3.51pmWhile it took West Brom a while to get going, it's safe to say that Spurs have been by far the better side so far. The visitors deserve their two-goal lead, that's for sure. They were forced to defend a bit more during the final 10 minutes or so of that first half, but their attacking play has been very good indeed.
3.54pm
6 - Six of Christian Eriksen's nine @premierleague goals this season have been scored on the road. Tourist.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 31, 20153.57pmMauricio Pochettino is likely to be telling his players that he wants to see more of the same in the second half. Spurs have been impressive and look on course for the points. Meanwhile, Tony Pulis may well be urging his players to show a bit more bravery going forward. The Baggies have been timid for large parts of today's game, and they will need to show more adventure going forward if they want to avoid defeat.
4.00pmOne thing is for certain: both of Tottenham's goals were of the highest quality. Eriksen's free kick was delightful, with the Dane curling the ball into the top corner, while Kane showed how lethal he is by smashing the ball past Foster to make it 2-0.
46 minSECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The teams are back out for the second half, and it will be West Brom to kick us off. No changes from either manager at the break.
49 minCHANCE! Following a strong start to the second half, Spurs come within a whisker of making it 3-0. Eriksen creates a bit of space for himself on the edge of the box before lashing a low left-footed drive inches wide of Foster's far post.
52 minWest Brom are finding it hard to assert themselves in this game at the minute as Spurs continue to look the more likely to get the next goal. The Baggies finished the first half positively, but they've yet to show any of that attacking intent in this half.
54 minYELLOW CARD! Berahino stupidly gets himself booked after remonstrating with the linesman after being penalised for a foul on Rose. The West Brom striker should have just left that situation as it was, but he instead decided to have a pop at the official.
57 minThe flow of this match has been hampered in the last few moments with some soft fouls from both teams. The latest sees Dembele halt play with a late challenge on Dawson. Will Tony Pulis make any changes soon?
60 minWEST BROM SUBS: Pulis does indeed look to his bench, with Brown Ideye and Craig Gardner replacing McManaman and Wisdom. Can the Baggies pull a goal back and give their fans some hope heading into the final 30 minutes. There's still time for them to get something out of this game.
62 minSPURS SUB: Now it's the away side's turn to shake things up as Nacer Chadli takes the place of Dembele, who has been lively this afternoon.
62 minPENALTY TO SPURS!
63 minGOAL! WEST BROM 0-3 SPURS (KANE, PENALTY)
63 minAnd that should be that. Kane scores from the spot to make it 3-0 to Spurs, and he makes it look so easy. The penalty is correctly given as Lescott handles Walker's cross, allowing Kane to send Foster the wrong way from 12 yards.
66 minWest Brom build some momentum, winning a couple of corners in quick succession. However, Spurs eventually see out the danger. The second corner is met by the head of Anichebe, though he can only nod wide.
67 minCHANCE! He's been quiet today, but Berahino almost pulls a goal back for West Brom with a stinging drive from a difficult angle on the right. Lloris can only watch the ball as it flies the wrong side of the post.
69 min
20 - Harry Kane has now scored 20 goals in all competitions this season; more than any other Premier League player. Whirlwind.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 31, 201572 minSPURS SUB: The visitors make another change now as Benjamin Stambouli replaces the ever-industrious Mason.
75 minCredit to West Brom, they're not letting their heads drop just yet. The Baggies are continuing to battle away, and they come close to scoring when Berahino's shot is saved by Lloris before Rose makes a good clearance to ease the danger. While they have been outplayed for large parts of this game, it would be fair to say that the Baggies deserve a goal for their efforts.
78 minYELLOW CARD! West Brom midfielder Yacob gets his name in the book for a clumsy tackle on Paulinho. The game has become a bit scrappy in the last few minutes or so.
80 minSAVE! Following a bit of a delay in play, the resulting free kick is hit by Kane and saved by Foster. The ball looked like it was going to dip into the top corner there, but Foster did well to get a hand to it.
82 minWHOOSH! Some space opens up for Paulinho about 30 yards from goal, but the midfielder's wild drive goes high over the crossbar.
84 minOFF THE POST! West Brom hit the woodwork again as Brunt's deep cross is met by Gardner at the back post, but he can only find the upright with an unorthodox effort that seems to come off his abdomen. However, it wouldn't have counted because referee Kevin Friend blows for an infringement.
87 minWEST BROM, SPURS SUBS: A final swap for the visitors sees Kane replaced by Roberto Soldado. The former is cheered off the pitch by the visiting fans and rightly so. Meanwhile, Graham Dorrans replaces Morrison for West Brom.
90 minThere will be FOUR MINUTES of added time...
90+1 minYELLOW CARD! Lamela goes into the book for a reckless tackle on Yacob, and he can have no complaints with that one.
90+4 minFULL TIME: WEST BROM 0-3 SPURS
4.54pmThere you have it. Spurs continue their quest for a top-four finish with a comfortable 3-0 win over West Brom. The visitors were superior throughout the encounter and they full deserve the three points. Eriksen gave them an early lead before two goals from Kane made sure of the victory.
4.56pmThat's all from our live text coverage of today's game, but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all of the reaction from both teams right here on Sports Mole. Thanks for your company, we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!
