Afternoon all. So, there's loads of football on today - it's going to be a decent Sunday I think! First up we have Tottenham Hotspur's trip to Stoke City and there is a lot riding on this one for the visitors.

We are still waiting for the team news from the Britannia, but it will be interesting to see if Emmanuel Adebayor starts for Spurs today. He actually looked half interested for a change against Chelsea during the week and came away with a goal and an assist. Whether that is enough to keep him in the team ahead of Jermain Defoe, who knows?

Just as I say that, the teams new is released. Let's start with the away side, who do indeed include Adebayor among their ranks.

TOTTENHAM XI: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Caulker, Vertonghen; Parker, Huddlestone; Lennon, Dempsey, Bale; Adebayor

So, Adebayor will lead the line, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon providing the support from wide roles. Tom Huddlestone has also kept his position in the midfield, while Steven Caulker has come in to partner Michael Dawson at the back.

And here is how the home side will start the encounter...

STOKE XI: Begovic; Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson; Adam, Whitehead, Nzonzi, Etherington; Walters, Crouch

There's a place for former Spurs striker Peter Crouch, who will play alongside Jonathan Walters. Matthew Etherington has been included wide on the right, with Ryan Shotton playing behind him at right-back. It's a solid-looking lineup from manager Tony Pulis.

Right, when you think of Stoke vs. Tottenham, surely you remember this goal? (Sorry Stoke fans):

That was the season where the Welsh international really started to realise his potential. He's gone from strength to strength since then. Stoke will also be wary of the fact that of his 20 goals in the Premier League this season, 13 have been away from home.

Sticking with Spurs, let's take a look at what their head coach Andre Villas-Boas has had to say about this clash in the days leading up to it:

"The only thing that hasn't changed is that we have to do our jobs, we would always have to win our remaining fixtures. We can only focus on trying to get six points from the next two games and see if we are rewarded for all our effort," he told the club's official website.

He continued: "[The players] had a couple of recovery sessions and will now prepare for the game. Once again, they have put everything forward, showed great commitment. The 2-2 draw at Chelsea wasn't what we wanted ideally, we wanted to win, but it keeps us in the frame.

"Stoke is now a totally different game to Chelsea. It's a game of a specific nature and we have to adapt and make sure we're ready."

Meanwhile, in the opposite corner, Stoke will be celebrating their 150th anniversary today. However, Pulis has stressed the importance of his players focusing on the game:

"It's a big game for us. It celebrates the 150th anniversary of this football club and the Club have got a lot of events going on around the game," he told the club's official website.

"What we've got to make sure we do on the football side is concentrate on giving Tottenham a decent game and ensuring that we put a show on for the fans."

And a little bit more from Pulis: "It should be a cracking game which we're all looking forward to. Spurs have got an outstanding group of players and they'll come here knowing that they really have to win the game to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive."

Of course, if Stoke were to win today, that would guarantee their place in the Premier League for next season. As it stands, they will only go down on goal difference if they were to lose their last two games and the other teams around them win their remaining matches. Although that is highly unlikely, no doubt Pulis would like to see his players do the job on their own today.

Having said that, Spurs have not lost to a side in the bottom half of the Premier League table since November last year when they were defeated at home by Wigan Athletic. Villas-Boas's team desperately need to win today - failure not to could be terminal for their Champions League chances.

Right, the players are now heading out onto the pitch. There's actually a decent atmosphere building up inside the Britannia. Lots of flag waving for the anniversary. Lovely! Not long now until the football, thankfully!

GAME ON! Here we go then. Champions League-hunting Spurs, attacking from right to left, get us underway.

Well, that didn't take long, did it? That's truly awful from Tottenham - Villas-Boas is bound to be fuming at his players. It's a decent free kick from Charlie Adam, but nobody marks Steven N'Zonzi, who has a clear header at goal. Hugo Lloris maybe also could have done a little better, but the ball eventually goes in off the post. Nightmare start for the away team.

SAVE! Note to Stoke - do not let Bale cut inside and hit the ball with his left foot because he's pretty useful with it. He's afforded too much space by N'Zonzi and decides to unleash a shot from 25 yards out. It's about to drop just under the crossbar, but Asmir Begovic gets his hand up in time to tip over.

As you'd expect Spurs are seeing plenty of the ball, but have done very little with it. Adebayor seems to have reverted back to his old ways. When he's like that, he's so easy to mark. Defoe may be carrying a knock, but he is so much more livelier.

DISALLOWED GOAL! Clint Dempsey wheels away with his arm aloft, but his celebration is cut short. He thinks that he has drawn Spurs level as he turns in Kyle Walker's scuffed shot, but he's a yard offside. A warning for Stoke nonetheless.

Dempsey has his goal, albeit in bizarre circumstances. Begovic finds himself in no man's land as a result of a mix-up with his own defender Marc Wilson. The ball then drops to Dempsey 30 yards from goal and the American does very well to loft it into the net. Yes it was an open goal, but he still had a lot to do. Spurs are level and in the ascendancy.

Let me just divert your attention for a couple of minutes because there is some potentially big news breaking concerning Manchester City. It's only at a reported stage at the moment, but it is being claimed that the owners have decided to sack Roberto Mancini. The story is developing here in case you are interested.

It's now all Spurs at the Britannia. They, and in particular Bale, are controlling the contest. The home faithful are not happy with what they are seeing either and are voicing their displeasure. To be honest, that's not going to help. They should be getting behind their team.

BOOKING! The first yellow of the day goes to a Stoke player and it is no surprise that it is for a foul on Bale. Huth is the man to be cautioned and the German can have no complaints - he clearly hauled down the Spurs attack midway inside the Stoke half.

SAVE! Smart work from Begovic, as Spurs captain Dawson gets across to the near post to meet a whipped free kick by Bale. His header is powerful and looked as though it would creep in, but Begovic gets both hands behind it to clear.

BOOKING! That's a harsh yellow card for Adam, who was trying to get in a shot at goal. Yes he caught Jan Vertonghen, but it was nothing malicious and the Stoke midfielder only had eyes for the ball.

SAVE! The duel between Bale and Begovic continues and once again it is the Stoke goalkeeper that comes out on top. The home defenders allow the attacker onto his stronger left foot and he drills in a shot from 10 yards out. Begovic is down early though to thwart the danger.

We will have two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.

So, it's all-square at the break. You'd have to say though that Spurs have been the better of the two sides. They've played all the football and have looked more like scoring the game's third goal. They need to find it in the second half as well because a draw is no good to them.

For Stoke, they've struggled to create much in the way of goalscoring chances. In fact, their only shot on target was the goal that they scored within the opening three minutes. They really are lacking a creative spark.

From a Tottenham point of view, they could do with getting Defoe on the pitch. When Adebayor plays like this, it is like playing with a man light. He looks lazy and not at all interested. Defoe would provide a bit of energy and he knows where the net is.

Right, the players are back and the second half is underway.

What an earth is Adam playing at? He's on a booking, albeit a harsh one, so the last thing you do is make a silly, needless challenge - surely? Adam has other ideas though and hacks down Vertonghen, who really was going nowhere. Out comes a second yellow card and he's left his team facing an uphill task now.

CHANCE! How an earth are Spurs not in front? Bale fizzes in a corner, which comes to Dempsey in the centre of the goal. The ball strikes him on the shin, but appears to be looping in as Begovic grasps at thin air. Unfortunately for the away side though it lands on the roof of the net.

The game is currently being played in the Stoke half - they can't get hold of the ball for long enough to mount any attacks. If it carries on like this, there is only going to be one winner. It won't take the likes of Bale and Lennon long to work an opening.

SUBSTITUTIONS: A double switch for the home side as former Spurs duo Etherington and Crouch are hooked, with Andy Wilkinson and Cameron Jerome replacing them.

Here's a statistic from Opta regarding the red-carded Adam: "180 - Since Aug 2010 C Adam has conceded 180 PL fouls, only three players (Fellaini, Tiote & K Davies) have more in that period. Bruiser."

SAVE! Begovic must be Bale's least favourite goalkeeper in the Premier League at the moment. The Spurs attacker strikes a clean shot that appears to be heading for the bottom corner. However, not only does Begovic get down in time, he also holds the ball at the first attempt. The search continues...

SUBSTITUTION: I'm beginning to think that Defoe has an injury that cannot be risked. Spurs need a goal and yet he still remains on the bench. It's Moussa Dembele that is called for by Villas-Boas instead and he replaces Scott Parker.

SAVE! Begovic is fast staking a claim to be awarded Sports Mole's man of the match for this encounter. Dempsey is the latest to try his luck from 20 yards out, but the Stoke keeper calmly tips the ball over the crossbar. How many more can he keep out?

SUBSTITUTIONS: Final switch for the Potters and it is a defensive one. Off comes Shotton and he is replaced by American international Geoff Cameron. Also, Defoe is finally on for Spurs - he has swapped with Lennon.

CHANCE! It may have been on his right foot, but Bale should have put Spurs 2-1 up there. He wrong foots three Stoke defenders with a neat turn inside the area, but his shot from 10 yards out is scuffed and flies wide of the target. You'd have put a lot of money on him scoring from there. Still Stoke hold on.

What a big, big goal that could be in terms of the Champions League places and it is Adebayor of all people. Dempsey drills in a cross to the back post where the former Arsenal striker is waiting unmarked and he has the most simple of tasks to roll the ball into an empty net. Tottenham's season is still alive!

Spurs are seeing this game out relatively comfortably at the moment. Stoke had settled for a point and as yet they haven't altered their tactics in an attacking way. They're losing with a whimper right now.

Stoke have four minutes of stoppage time to salvage something from this game.

CHANCE! Decent opportunity for Stoke to level things up as Jerome does well on the right to present himself with a crossing chance. His delivery is deep towards the back post where Wilson is waiting, but his header goes straight into the ground and bounces over.

So, the race for the Champions League is going down to the wire. Spurs deserve it as well because even with 11 vs. 11, they were the only side that wanted to win it. Stoke wanted a point and to be fair, almost got it.

That's all we have time for from the Britannia. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and be sure to check out our analysis of the match, which will be on the site shortly. Until next time, goodbye.