Good morning (yawn) and welcome to our coverage of what should be a decent clash at White Hart Lane.

With victory here, Spurs can jump above local rivals Arsenal and move into the top-four (though the Gunners do play against Norwich later today).

Currently sandwiched between the Canaries and Swansea in the table, avoiding another setback is the aim for this Chelsea team.

The big news is from the visitors as Diego Costa has been dropped to the bench.

Oscar comes in for the Spanish international while Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilizueta are included with the injured John Terry and Kenedy both making way.

Dele Alli is suspended for Spurs so Ryan Mason slots into the middle of midfield.

Word coming through here that Diego Costa hasn’t gone out for the pre-match warm-up. This story has just got juicier.

1′ – AND WE’RE UNDERWAY!

Straight away it’s Eden Hazard who is leading the line for Chelsea. There had been talk that Oscar or Pedro could take up the Diego Costa role.

Some great early pressure from Spurs here. Son and Walker initially did well on the right side but the real danger came when Dembele picked up the half-clearance, fed the over-lapping Rose and his cross saw Kane dive in and challenge as Begovic got down to save. The keeper took a whack for his troubles and it will be a Spurs corner.

Eriksen wasted the corner, by the way, and failed to even get it over the first man.

Quick break from Willian down the right and Hazard finds him. The delivery into the area is too close to Lloris though, who gets down and gathers easily.

It’s scrappy but still end-to-end. Pedro makes a great run in behind, after initially beginning the move on the left side. He stays onside but Lloris is off his line quickly and deals with it.

He looks a happy camper, doesn’t he?

A moment of confusion at the back for Spurs as a long clearance bounces into the area. Vertonghen wants Lloris to come for it but he doesn’t. And with Pedro right on his shoulder, the centre-half needs to stretch and flick his header away. Brief panic.

CHANCE! Out of nothing, the ball breaks for Harry Kane on the edge of the area. There are plenty of bodies around him but he takes the shot on quickly, almost surprising Begovic. It’s straight at the keeper and he pushes it away before gathering on the rebound.

At the other end, an intricate little passing move from Chelsea and Pedro is just about to pull the trigger from close-in when Vertonghen gets across and makes the last-ditch challenge.

CHANCE! Oh! Eden Hazard! He really needs to do better with that header. Oscar does superbly on the left, patiently sizing things up before delicately lofting a cross to the far post. It’s perfect for the Belgian and he’s in the air in plenty of time to direct it towards goal but it’s too high and a poor miss.

VERY CLOSE! Hazard pops up again in the build-up, plays it across to Pedro and Spurs desperately file back to try and defend. Azpilicueta offers an overlap but Pedro dummies a back-heel and moves across the area instead before sending a ferocious shot towards goal. It takes a nick off Dier, who threw himself at it, and barely misses Lloris’ crossbar. Greta stuff from Chelsea in the last few minutes.

CHANCE! Wonderful from Harry Kane. He combines with Walker on the right and whips in a magnificent cross to the far post. Son rises but his header is straight at Begovic who pushes it away. Brilliant from Spurs’ main attacking outlet though.

CHANCE! It’s another save from Begovic, this time from a low left-footed strike from Dembele. The game has really come to life after a quiet enough opening fifteen. Both teams showing plenty in the final-third.

YELLOW CARD! Hazard chases a long ball down the right side. Danny Rose tracks him. All the left-back needs to do is hold his position – Hazard has nowhere to go. Instead, Rose dives right through the back of the Belgian and leaves him in a heap. Booking and free-kick in a dangerous position. Idiotic from the Spurs man.

YELLOW CARD! Silly from Kane as he checks Willian. The Brazilian had taken a heavy touch and was heading into traffic but the attacker just gave into temptation and cynically  brought him down.

A delightful nutmeg from Oscar as he embarrasses Ryan Mason. He races along the left touchline but is wasteful with the finish, smacking the side-net with a lack of options in the middle.

Kane picks it up again in a dangerous position, gets it out of his feet and thumps one towards goal but it’s high, wide and not very handsome. He holds his hands to his face in disgust. There will be two minutes of injury time, by the way.

CHANCE! How does Willian do it? He has a free-kick on the left side and curls it right into that perfect danger zone,, around the six-yard area. It’s Ivanovic who’s the target but he’s offside and it wouldn’t have counted anyway, despite him going close.

THAT’S HALF-TIME! 0-0 AT THE BREAK!

Chelsea won’t exactly be depressed by that showing but the home side will be happier. They’ve opened up their opponents on more occasions and tested Asmir Begovic on a number of occasions. Harry Kane looks dangerous every time he’s in possession but with Son and Dembele also doing well, he’s got plenty of support.

The guests are missing something in attack and Hazard missed a great chance with a header when he should’ve done better. Pedro flashed a drive just over the bar while Oscar and Willian haven’t offered too much.

AND WE’RE BACK UNDERWAY!

Dembele has been very good so far.

Half-hearted appeals for a penalty as the Spurs cross strikes Cesc Fabregas on the hand. He had it close to his body so it would’ve been quite harsh to award that.

CHANCE! Spurs have begun well here, keeping their shape and hunting in packs. But Son is blown for a foul on Oscar and it’s in that Willian zone on the left side. Inevitably, he swings in a masterful free-kick that’s within an inch of Kurt Zouma finishing to the net. Very close.

YELLOW CARD! 3 of Spurs’ back-four are now on yellows. Vertonghen is the latest to pick up a booking after absolutely creasing his compatriot Eden Hazard.

SUBSTITUTION! Lamela (on) – Mason (off)

Mason is a hugely important member of this Spurs team and he makes a great run into the area, turns back inside but tumbles as Zouma gets a crucial touch to flick the ball away. As he falls, he twists something and he’s in a heap on the ground. Erik Lamela comes on in his place.

Pochettino is furious as some mis-communication at the back for Spurs almost leads Hazard to pick up the ball and race towards goal. They get out of jail but a reminder of how quick Chelsea can get through.

YELLOW CARD! Matic cynically takes down Eriksen and Michael Oliver has little hesitation in taking the midfielder’s name.

CHANCE! What a goal that would’ve been. Son engineers a lovely move as he picks it up on the edge of the box. He shows some nice feet and plays it inside to Lamela. Instantly, he slips the return pass over the heads of a pair of Chelsea defenders and Son runs onto it perfectly. He strikes it on the half-volley but it’s pretty comfortable for Begovic. Either side and the keeper would’ve been in trouble.

VERY CLOSE! That’s superb from Hazard. It’s a deep cross from Ivanovic and the angle is very unkind to the Belgian as the ball drops over Walker’s head. Still, he thumps a left-footed volley across Lloris but the keeper gets down so quickly to flick it away. Superb effort. Equally superb save.

SUBSTITUTION! N’Jie (on) – Son (off)

Like for like in attack. Can the Cameroon international conjure something in the last 15 minutes or so?

In Diego Costa news…he’s been told to warm-up. And he promptly does this time.

Pedro picks up the ball on the left of the area and looks full of purpose as he jinks inside. And then he balloons it about half a mile wide.

CHANCE! There have been a few occasions during this when Spurs have threatened to hit the self-destruct button and Toby Alderweireld is the latest player to make an error. He is incredibly lax in trying to send a header back to Lloris from close to the by-line and but for a last-gasp challenge, it could’ve been a Chelsea goal.

Everything has gone just a bit scrappy again – for the first time in a while, actually. Tottenham will probably feel they could create another chance though Chelsea have had the better of it in the second period.

That’s a third nutmeg of the day for Oscar, slipping it between Lamela’s legs this time. The Spurs man is frustrated and takes it out on the Brazilian, giving away the free-kick. Willian’s subsequent delivery is wasteful though – a rare thing.

SUBSTITUTION! Kenedy (on) – Willian (off)

There will be a change for Chelsea…but it’s not Diego Costa who comes in but a 19-year-old Brazilian.

SUBSTITUTION! Loftus-Cheek (on) – Pedro (off)

Will Costa refuse to get on the team-bus? He won’t get on here and on the bench, he throws off his warm-up singlet. A moody blue.

http://vine.co/v/iaFTrVWeeTW

FULL-TIME! TOTTENHAM 0-0 CHELSEA! 

A strange game, really, but a draw certainly is a fair representation.

Spurs don’t break the top-four while Chelsea are in 14th. Tottenham had chances in the first-half, a header from Son their best opportunity. But in the second period, they were handled a lot better by the guests and Kane was kept quiet. At the other end, Hazard almost scored a stunner but for an excellent stop from Hugo Lloris.

Jose Mourinho will take it, I’m sure. The ship is settling, game-by-game, and that’s what was badly needed.

Thanks for staying with us throughout the coverage. Plenty more reaction on the site throughout the afternoon.