The players are in the tunnel, every Spurs player has a mascot alongside him and I can confirm that the young man who has got the plum draw next to Harry Kane is talking the striker's ear off.

Kane stands hands on hips. It's all quite respectful down there. Ben Gibson arrives to high-five Kane. "Twenty seconds boys," the players are told.

Premier League games run like a Swiss watch these days. Go on gents, turn out late, live a little.

Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender on Football Focus

I don’t see Spurs winning the league.

I think they needed an upgrade to players playing alongside Kane and Alli. Defensively they are very good but I think just a little bit short. 

I'm going to be all over Dele Alli this evening. Let's see what he's all about. What I've seen so far has been impressive but in yesterday's news conference, Mauricio Pochettino was deflecting away questions on foreign interest in the star midfielder. What would he be worth?

Image source, Getty Images

Alli has nine goals in nine games in all competitions. The type of record Frank Lampard would have been proud off. Dele Alli is on flames, but thankfully I've run out of emoji space to show you this.

The players trot off for their final instructions. What are you thinking Spurs fans? League over? Tweet me on #bbcfootball.

And Middlesbrough fans, are you fearful of the form some teams below you in the table are showing? Or do you have enough?

Be in touch one and all, keep me company and keep it clean.

Kevin Kilbane
Former Everton winger on Football Focus

Spurs have a spirit in the squad. That comes from the manager. 

He has been outstanding ever since he has come to the league.

Spurs go big on the 100 league game mark reached by Poch today. 

That's 100 league games, 51 wins, 172 goals and 100 occasions where his post-match quotes have offered nothing of note.

Here is a man who knows how to trot out trouble-free lines.

Image source, .

Aitor Karanka's side are a point above the bottom three. The form of Swansea and Hull is sucking those just above the cut line into the equation with the force of a plumber's favourite plunger.     

Three draws from their past four league games mean Boro arrive with hope they can stand up. Spurs, though, have won six in a row at home. There's little heart shown at White Hart Lane. 

Image source, .

It wouldn't be so bad, but Middlesbrough is so far from pretty much any Premier League ground that those travelling away fans deserve more, much more.

A 514-mile round trip today by my reckoning.

Don't forget in all of this excitement there is still another Premier League game to come this evening.

Tottenham have made two changes for their game at White Hart Lane against Middlesbrough.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris returns following illness in place of Michel Vorm while left-back Ben Davies replaces the injured Danny Rose.

Aitor Karanka also makes two changes to his Middlesbrough side.

Centre-back Callum Chambers returns from a broken foot in the place of Antonio Barragan while Stewart Downing plays instead of Cristhian Stuani.

Middlesbrough are out on the pitch warming up as we speak. Some old-school stretching going on, none of the Fancy Dan stuff we see nowadays. Adama Traore has a back like an angry cat, his shoulder blades practically pierce his t-shirt. He looks like he spends 12 hours a day in the gym and 12 at the hairdressers.

He starts, more on team news shortly.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome one and all. Those of you who are committed to the cause may have joined me for a live-text service of Chelsea's 3-1 win over Arsenal earlier. I've dusted myself down, refueled, taken in some of the afternoon action and am undoubtedly bang up for this.

Tottenham have to win you'd think? Chelsea look relentless. Middlesbrough haven't won in the league since a week before Christmas. Surely they can't make life even better for the Blues.

Tottenham require some blue-sky thinking.

Image source, PA

As the crowds wander past the site of their soon-to-be new stadium, the team arrive at White Hart Lane knowing they are a pretty special outfit but yet they sit a whopping 12 points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Arsenal look done for, Liverpool even more so. The title contenders are caving in. Are Tottenham soon to enter the darkness?