Steve Claridge
BBC Radio 5 live at White Hart Lane

Image source, Getty Images

"Ryan Mason's done his hamstring as he's stretched for that ball. It looks as if it's popped. He hasn't moved since doing it. Why isn't the substitute getting changed? What are Tottenham doing? Get someone changed and get them on."

Image source, Getty Images

It's good from Tottenham so far, who nick the ball in midfield through Harry Kane and Andros Townsend plays a cute ball down the centre and in the general direction of Ryan Mason but Chelsea sniff the danger and clear their lines.

Steve Claridge
BBC Radio 5 live at White Hart Lane

"Nacer Chadli gives Tottenham width - but he also moves inside to give them the extra man, and that makes sure Chelsea don't dominate that central area."

Kyle Walker has been playing well for Spurs in recent weeks and he gets in behind the Chelsea defence but his cross is cut out by a relieved Chelsea backline. The Chelsea full-backs look rattled early on.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's an early stat to impress your mates: every time Chelsea have scored two or more goals in the Premier League this season they have won (14 times), every time they have scored fewer than twice they have failed to win (five times).

Steve Claridge
BBC Radio 5 live at White Hart Lane

"A lot's been said about Harry Kane. He's got the energy that lifts other players. He works hard. That excites everyone around the ground and other players feed off that enthusiasm."

An early sighter from range for Nabil Bentaleb but it's straight at Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Harry Kane wins an early corner for Tottenham. Has there been a more popular Spurs player in recent years? Bar, perhaps, Gareth Bale. The corner comes to nothing but some bright early play from Spurs, who have clearly given Danny Rose licence to get forward from full-back.

It's a fine atmosphere under the White Hart Lane lights, with the Spurs fans belting out some early chants. This fixture means a lot to them.

Let's get this show on the road.

Tottenham defender Federico Fazio looks pumped, almost fidgety, as he prepares to lock horns once again with Diego Costa - the striker who he punched while playing in La Liga last season.

Here we go then. Manchester City have thrown the first punch in the title race at the turn of the year. Can Chelsea respond? The players are out on the pitch going through the formalities now.

Conor McNamara
BBC Radio 5 live

"The Chelsea boys look up for this. Commentary shortly on BBC Radio 5 live."

Image source, Conor McNamara

Manchester City kept up the pressure on Chelsea with a 3-2 win over Sunderland earlier, but manager Manuel Pellegrini is playing down the significance of the result in the title race.

Pellegrini tells BBC Radio 5 live: "We are not thinking about Chelsea. We will take care of them in the last week of January when we play them. We have to keep winning our games. We have taken 29 points from our last 33 and we have to keep going in this way."

A nice little stat for Spurs fans is that, excluding penalties, Christian Eriksen scored more Premier League goals (13) than any other midfielder in 2014. He's a good 'un.

Jordan Mundy-Gill:, external Would love to see a Tottenham win this evening to really open up the top half.

Jared Maobe:, external I feel its time other strikers like Loic Remy started getting chances. The last game we had just one shot on target!

So, after today's results, Chelsea's one-time eight-point lead over Manchester City have been cut down to zero by the defending champions. The west London side, of course, have this game in hand and manager Jose Mourinho is not concerned about letting such a big advantage slip at the halfway point in the season.

"We are top of the league at the end of the first round because we deserve it and because it is a consequence of what we did," Mourinho said. "Chelsea is playing very well since the beginning of the season. That's the only thing we work at, the only thing we concentrate on."

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino remembers Blues boss Jose Mourinho from his playing days at Espanyol, when the self-proclaimed 'Special One' was cutting his coaching teeth at Catalan rivals Barcelona.

"I remember always Mourinho. He was a big figure and all the players have a very good memory of him," said Pochettino, who declined to reveal any particular stories from their shared past.

"(And) we played a lot of times against Real Madrid when I was at Espanyol. We had a good relationship."

I think that's Diego Costa underneath there...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham fans have every reason to approach this fixture with caution. Chelsea have won 25 Premier League matches against Spurs - only Manchester United, with 29 wins, have a better record. Having a bogey side that plays in the same city as you is never nice.