Sunderland were chasing three straight Premier League wins when they travelled to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Saturday lunchtime kickoff on matchday 22.
The Black Cats took the lead against the run of play, but it soon went horribly wrong as the home side produced a rousing second-half display to come out on top 4-1.
Read all about an enthralling contest with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Morning all! Premier League matchday 22 begins at White Hart Lane with what looks like a belter as Spurs welcome Sunderland. Plenty to get through between now and kickoff in an hour, so let's get to the team news...
SPURS XI: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose: Dier, Dembele; Lamela, Alli, Eriksen; Kane
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Wimmer, Carroll, Chadli, Onomah, Son
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Wimmer, Carroll, Chadli, Onomah, Son
SUNDERLAND XI: Pickford; Jones, O'Shea, Brown, Van Aanholt; Johnson, Cattermole, M'Vila, Lens; Defoe, Graham
Subs: Mannone, Rodwell, Borini, Coates, Fletcher, Kirchhoff, Watmore
Subs: Mannone, Rodwell, Borini, Coates, Fletcher, Kirchhoff, Watmore
Starting with Spurs, Mauricio Pochettino makes three changes to the side that started Wednesday night's defeat to Leicester. Two of the changes are at full-back as Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose replace Kyle Walker and Ben Davies, while in midfield Moussa Dembele makes his first start of the New Year in place of Tom Carroll.
Carroll has done OK in place of Dembele in recent weeks, but he is nowhere near as dynamic as the Belgian and can get a little lost in games sometimes. Dembele's return is a big one for Pochettino, he's been playing with more verve this term.
Visitors Sunderland have two changes in their starting XI. One is in goal and it's a Premier League debut for highly-rated 21-year-old Jordan Pickford, who is preferred to Vito Mannone. The other change is in attack as Danny Graham gets the nod over Fabio Borini.
There is also a new face on the Sunderland bench as Jan Kirchhoff is included in the matchday squad for the first time after his move from Bayern Munich.
Not related to this game, but a big bit of transfer news to quickly bring you as Southampton announce the signing of Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers. Read the developing story here.
What a big day it is for Pickford then. He has been tipped as a future England number-one by some and really impressed in the first half of the season in the Championship with Preston North End. He made his full Black Cats debut at Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend and now faces the other North London side in his Premier League bow.
Just a few more lines from the team news before we take a look at the two teams' form - full-back DeAndre Yedlin is ineligible to play for Sunderland against his parent club, while the Black Cats' latest signing Dame N'Doye has not yet received clearance to play after joining on loan from Trabzonspor.
Walker is not even in the squad for Spurs, so maybe he has picked up an injury that we don't know about yet? Still, Trippier is an excellent player and really impressed me when he started in the recent win at Watford. He played in every Premier League game for Burnley last season but has found chances with Tottenham limited so far this term.
Click here to see how the Premier League table looks going into matchday 22. Spurs start the weekend fourth and they can't climb any higher with City four points above them in third and Arsenal and Leicester three further points in front. They could drop out of the top four, though, with West Ham just a point behind and Manchester United two back.
As for Sunderland, they are still in the bottom three but could get out with a win here and if other results go their way. They have 18 points from 21 games and Swansea are just a place and a point above them after the Black Cats won in South Wales on Wednesday night.
Sam Allardyce's side won 4-2 at the Liberty Stadium and Jermain Defoe was the star of the show with a hat-trick. Sunderland were helped when Kyle Naughton was sent off in the first half for what looked like a hard, but fair, tackle and his dismissal was yesterday rescinded by the FA.
If Defoe scores against his former team today it will be the first time since 2008, while he was at Portsmouth, that he has found the net in three straight Premier League games.
Defoe's in great form, but it seems that Allardyce wants to sign another striker this month. Last night the Black Cats were linked with a move for Swansea's Andre Ayew and it would be a big surprise if they could pull that off given that the Ghanaian only joined Swansea last summer. The latest reports last night suggested that Swansea had quickly rejected a £12m approach.
While Defoe was once a prominent figure for England, Spurs have one of the Three Lions' top current strikers in Harry Kane. The all-round forward has once again impressed this season with 11 Premier League goals.
Sunderland will be wary of Kane, but they'll also fear Eriksen being on the Spurs teamsheet. The Dane has scored in ALL THREE of his Premier League games against the Black Cats.
H2H: Eriksen did not play in the reverse fixture earlier this season as Spurs snuck a 1-0 win thanks to Ryan Mason's neat finish late on. In fact, Tottenham have won eight and lost none of their last 11 Premier League games against Sunderland, also leading at half time in 10 of those 11.
Allardyce won seven of his 12 Premier League games against Spurs while he was Bolton Wanderers manager, but he has won just four of 11 with other clubs.
These two stats are a bit contradictory, or maybe we'll get goals at the start and at the end (!) - there have been three goals scored in the opening five minutes of the last three Premier League matches between these two and there have been six goals netted in the final 10 minutes of the last six meetings.
Sunderland are chasing three straight Premier League wins for the first time since May 2014 and if they claim victory today it will be the first time since 1950 that they've began the New Year with three straight wins.
Kickoff moments away in London!
KICKOFF! Today's referee is Mike Dean and he gets us underway on what is a bright, but baltic day in the capital.
Early free kick for Spurs as Graham handles the ball to prevent Trippier cutting inside down the right.
And Pickford is called into action straight away as Alderweireld heads at goal after Vertonghen flicked on Lamela's initial delivery. There was no power on the ball and all Alderweireld could do was head straight at the young keeper.
SAVE! This time Pickford is really tested and he makes a superb fingertip save to flick Kane's 20-yard shot out for a corner. That was definitely sneaking in.
Sunderland win their first corner but Spurs clear and they have a great chance to break, but Dembele's through-ball to Kane is a little overhit and Sunderland are able to scramble it clear.
Dembele's incisive ball finds Rose down the left but Johnson tracks him well and blocks the cross out for a corner. Good start to this game!
CHANCE! Alli marked his excellent first Premier League season with a new long-term contract earlier this week and he has a great chance to add another goal to his tally as a loose ball pops his way in the box but he blazes over.
Spurs look really up for this today. They played well for the most part against Leicester in midweek before conceding a late goal from a corner to Robert Huth. They just need to take their chances otherwise they might get a bit nervous.
Apart from one corner, Sunderland have had no joy in the Spurs half so far. The home side are completely dominating at the moment and it just feels like when, not if, they will score.
A Spurs win to-nil would not be a surprise today as Pochettino's side have the best defence in the Premier League having only conceded 17 this season. Sunderland's is the worst with 41 and that's why I've made Kane my fantasy football captain today. Come on Arry!
This is difficult, but it's still a chance for Kane. Eriksen's low cross to the near post is met by Kane but Brown is right there and puts the striker off enough.
Ooooh. Defoe with a first sniff at goal but he can't quite reach it in time to get off a shot. Lloris collects and pings the ball up to Kane, who is held by O'Shea to win Spurs a free kick in a good position...
Eriksen's initial delivery is cleared, but Alderweireld keeps the ball alive and his cross is headed up before Pickford grabs it out of the sky. Kane was trying to challenge for the ball and Jones was pulling at his shirt, but Dean lets it go.
Spurs aren't quite as dominant as they were in the opening 10 minutes or so, but they're still the team doing more of the pressing. Sunderland are giving them no space and defending well.
Rose takes aim from distance and fires a shot over the top after Dembele spread it out to him down the left. Spurs need to play with a bit more width, there's no space in the middle at the moment.
Alli wants a free kick on the edge of the box after nutmegging O'Shea and then falling over the Irishman's leg. If anything, Alli initiated the contact there and Dean was right to not blow up.
SHOT! Kane's effort is blocked by Van Aanholt after the ball fortunately broke his way on the edge of the box.
Half an hour gone then and although Sunderland have only managed one shot - a speculative Lens effort from distance - Allardyce will be pretty happy at how things have gone. His side are frustrating Spurs more and more.
CHANCE! Best chance of the match for Spurs as Dembele wins the ball off Van Aanholt and streaks forward. He's joined by four teammates and it's FIVE ON TWO, but they can't score. Dembele feeds Lamela and he goes for goal, dragging it wide, instead of looking for a teammate in the middle.
Spurs have changed gears here as Trippier fires over a first-time volleyed cross that is just too long for Alli at the back post. Sunderland need to make it to half time still level.
GOAL! SPURS 0-1 SUNDERLAND (PATRICK VAN AANHOLT)
Out of nowhere, Sunderland lead! Johnson produces a fabulous through-ball to find the run of Van Aanholt. Alli goes to sleep to allow the left-back and he smashes it in low at the near post.
GOAL! SPURS 1-1 SUNDERLAND (CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN)
The lead lasted less than two minutes as Eriksen scores for the fourth straight Premier League game against Sunderland. Kane's initial shot was well-saved by Pickford, but Eriksen followed up and found the net. Cattermole was on the line and should have cleared it, but somehow failed to do so.
This game has come to life! Sunderland now with a great chance to retake the lead as they win a free kick on the edge of the box. It's teed up for Defoe and his low shot is too straight and a comfortable save for Lloris.
Two minutes of added time but we don't want this half to end!
SAVE! Eriksen tries his luck from 25 yards and Pickford denies him with a good stop.
HALF-TIME: SPURS 1-1 SUNDERLAND
Everyone get your breath back! What an end to the half that was as Spurs and Sunderland go in level after two goals in two minutes from Van Aanholt and Eriksen. We'll be back for the second half shortly!
Doesn't look like any changes from either manager as the two teams re-emerge for the second half.
KICKOFF! The visitors get us back underway and Van Aanholt is straight into the action with a lovely bit of skill after opening the scoring in the first half. He also scored in Wednesday's win over Swansea.
BOOKING! Cattermole picks up his fifth yellow card of the season after bringing down Rose.
Moments later Spurs threaten as Eriksen's cross just beats both Kane and Alli in the middle. Spurs will be after an early goal this half as the longer it stays level, the more confident Sunderland will feel.
Jack Rodwell is getting ready on the touchline for Sunderland. Allardyce about to make an early change in the second half.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Sunderland to retake the lead as Defoe smashes into the side-netting following a rapid counter-attack through Adam Johnson. It all came after Spurs played a stupid short free kick and didn't even put a good cross in.
SUNDERLAND SUB: It's Cattermole who is replaced by Rodwell. Maybe Allardyce was a little worried about the former getting sent off?
CLOSE! Lamela picks out Alli with a clever cross to the back post that the Spurs midfielder heads back across goal and just wide. Kane was in support and had he nodded it to his teammate it would have been a certain goal.
SUNDERLAND SUB: Second Black Cats change and it's a debut for Kirchhoff, who takes Graham's place. That's certainly a defensive change from Big Sam.
GOAL! SPURS 2-1 SUNDERLAND (MOUSSA DEMBELE)
Spurs in front for the first time as Dembele marks his return to the starting lineup with a goal. Pickford initially pushed Rose's shot straight back into the danger zone and it was picked up by Dembele, who shifted the ball onto his left foot before finding the bottom corner with a low shot.
Here's Eriksen celebrating his equaliser which came less than two minutes after Van Aanholt's surprise opener
GOAL! SPURS 3-1 SUNDERLAND (CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN)
And the Dane is celebrating again as he puts Spurs two in front. Pickford can do nothing about this one as it takes a wicked deflection and loops up and in off the post.
You have to look at Kirchhoff there and say that his attempt to block the shot was half-hearted at best. Had he gone with more conviction it would not have taken the same diversion and probably not gone in. Allardyce certainly won't be happy with that!
SAVE! Pickford prevents Spurs making it four with a fine save to deny Kane's powerful drive.
SPURS SUB: First change for the home side and it's youngster Josh Onomah on for Lamela.
SUNDERLAND SUB: Third and final change for the visitors as Watmore takes Lens's place out wide.
PENALTY TO TOTTENHAM! Kirchhoff's debut goes from bad to worse as he clearly upends Rose in the box.
GOAL! SPURS 4-1 SUNDERLAND (HARRY KANE, PEN.)
Game over! Kane makes it 15 for the season in all competitions by slamming into the corner from 12 yards. Since Kirchhoff came on he has deflected Eriksen's shot into the goal with a half-hearted block and now given away a penalty. A debut to forget!
SPURS SUB: Change in midfield after the goal, with Carroll on for Dembele.
Kirchhoff does something right for once by making a crucial block to prevent Kane's cross reaching Alli at the back post. Spurs want more here.
SPURS SUB: He's got his goal and now Kane comes off to be replaced by Son Heung-Min. Job done, Arry!
That fourth goal really has killed the game off. Both sides know it's over and we're just waiting for the final whistle now.
Just after three minutes are added on, Spurs could grab a fifth on the counter-attack but Alli is outmuscled by Van Aanholt.
Eriksen then tries to complete his hat-trick from distance but that's well wide.
FULL-TIME: SPURS 4-1 SUNDERLAND
It's a first win in four for Spurs and they prevent Sunderland making it three on the bounce. They fell behind to Van Aanholt, but soon got back in it through Eriksen and from then they were always the better team. 4-1 is harsh on the visitors, but they didn't create enough going forward today.
Spurs close to within four points of leaders Arsenal and Leicester for the time being at least, while Sunderland miss the chance to climb out of the drop zone.
Anyway, that's all we've got time for here but I urge you to click back to the homepage and pick another Premier League commentary to follow this afternoon. Plenty to choose from!
