Brentford vs Tottenham LIVE!

Harry Kane shook off any World Cup hangover to spark a Tottenham revival in an entertaining 2-2 draw away at Brentford as the Premier League roared back to life on Boxing Day. An early goal by Vitaly Janelt and Ivan Toney's close-range goal shortly after the interval put the Bees 2-0 up but Spurs have made a habit of playing their best football when trailing and so it proved again.

Kane, whose missed penalty just over a fortnight ago condemned England to a quarter-final defeat by France, headed home in the 65th minute to throw his side a lifeline. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, one of five Tottenham starters who featured at the World Cup, then levelled with a calm finish and Kane almost won it with a header against the crossbar.

Tottenham are in fourth place with 30 points while Brentford are ninth ahead of the rest of the day's fixtures. Read back the game below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Nick Purewal.

Brentford vs Tottenham latest news

• GOAL! Hojbjerg completes the comeback!

• GOAL! Kane pulls one back with a header

• GOAL! Toney doubles Bees’ lead!

• GOAL! Janelt opens the scoring!

• How to watch: Amazon Prime

Brentford FC 2 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur FC

14:44 , Alex Young

You can read our match report here.

14:33 , Alex Young

A lovely reintroduction to Premier League football, that.

Comeback kings Spurs are back it, they’ve now won 14 points from losing positions this season, and it could have been more today.

Kane’s goal was his 10th on Boxing Day to set a new record.

Full-time!

14:27 , Alex Young

96min: That’s it! Honours even!

14:27 , Alex Young

95min: Son with a weak effort from the area. Brentford clinging on.

14:25 , Alex Young

94min: Lenglet is having to go off here after a clash in the area. Davies is on.

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91min: Five minutes added on.

14:18 , Alex Young

88min: Spurs pushing as they ping passes across the face of Brentford’s penalty area, before winning a corner.

The delivery is straight into Raya’s hands.

OFF THE BAR!

14:15 , Alex Young

84min: Kane inches away from giving Spurs the lead as he again connects to another brilliant Lenglet cross but is denied by the woodwork and Son cannot tuck home the rebound.

14:13 , Alex Young

83min: The ball sits up very nicely for Sanchez to drill a lovely half-volley from 25 yards, but it’s straight at Raya.

14:11 , Alex Young

81min: Spurs bossing possession but actually doing something with it. Perisic is having plenty of joy down the left.

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79min: Now Spurs - well, just Perisic - want a penalty for a handball. Referee - and everyone else - isn’t interested.

14:07 , Alex Young

77min: Brentford think they’ve won a penalty as Mbeumo goes around Forster and hits the deck, but it’s a clear dive.

We’ve got a tasty final 10 minutes to come.

14:06 , Alex Young

75min: Doherty flings himself to the ground and Janka is fuming, so much so that he pushes his hand into the defender’s face.

A risky tactic, but he gets away with it.

GOAL!

14:03 , Alex Young

72min: Spurs are level!

More smart work from Kulusevski finds Hojbjerg inside the area to take a touch and fire home.

14:01 , Alex Young

69min: Ghoddos replaces Jensen in Brentford’s first sub.

Nick Purewal at Brentford Community Stadium

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“A towering header from Kane – entirely out of nowhere – and in a flash Spurs are right back in the mix at 2-1 down.

“Hardly classic of Conte teams, but certainly typical of his Tottenham side this season. Spurs’ Italian boss was lining up a triple substitution, but Kane’s fine finish meant he made one switch instead.”

13:58 , Alex Young

68min: The change is Tanganga for Sanchez.

13:57 , Alex Young

67min: Conte was set to make a number of changes but he’s having a rethink.

Mbeumo just skied an effort inside the area. A big miss.

GOAL!

13:55 , Alex Young

65min: My word, what a header!

Out of nothing, Spurs are back in it as Kane thumps home from Lenglet’s deep cross.

13:50 , Alex Young

60min: Bissouma is booked for a foul on Toney. The former has been woeful today, the latter: brilliant.

13:48 , Alex Young

57min: Brentford almost in for a third as Toney turns Lenglet, but instead opts to find a team-mate instead of shoot.

The hosts are flying, Spurs all over the place.

GOAL!

13:45 , Alex Young

54min: Toney slots home at the back post from the corner!

Deary me, Dier. Deary me, Spurs! A long, long way back for them now.

13:44 , Alex Young

53min: Looking at another angle, I can see why VAR didn’t give it. It’s right on the line, though. Firmly in the ‘seen them given’ camp.

Meanwhile, Dier shins a clearance out for a Brentford corner...

13:42 , Alex Young

52min: Shouts for a penalty to Spurs as Kane goes to ground under pressure from Mee.

VAR isn't interested. That looked like Spurs had a case, there.

13:40 , Alex Young

50min: Better from Spurs already. Kane, Son and Perisic combine as the wing-back looks for Doherty at the far post... and Brentford hack clear for a corner.

Which Spurs waste.

13:39 , Alex Young

48min: A glorious opening for Spurs as Perisic quick throw in falls to Kulusevski, to find Son who then looks to send the Swede through on goal but the pass is horribly overhit.

13:36 , Alex Young

46min: Back underway for the second half. No changes.

13:35 , Alex Young

The teams are back out for the second half.

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Janelt’s goal is the difference, and it’s the least the Bees deserve.

Spurs haven’t done much, and Kane even less.

Nick Purewal at Brentford Community Stadium

13:22 , Alex Young

“Not for the first or last time, Brentford are showing up much more acclaimed opponents by boasting by far the more sophisticated structure and rhythm.

“Spurs had built back after conceding but were hugely fortunate not to leak a second when Toney was called for offside.”

Half-time!

13:21 , Alex Young

50min: That’s it for the first half.

13:20 , Alex Young

49min: Spurs again push for a late equaliser with a smart move, but Brentford eventually hack the ball clear.

13:18 , Alex Young

46min: Kane is not at it today. A nice counter through Doherty and Son finds Kane on the edge of the area and he just passes... to no one?

NO GOAL!

13:14 , Alex Young

43min: Toney runs through and fires home Brentford’s second goal, but he’s offside.

More terrible defending from Spurs, either way. Tanganga got away with that one.

13:13 , Alex Young

41min: Kane has had just 10 touches, according to Amazon. The fewest of any player.

13:12 , Alex Young

40min: Slight break in play as Janelt gets some treatment.

13:09 , Alex Young

35min: Good save from Forster! Brentford prod and probe on the edge of the area before Zanka turns smartly just inside to fire a shot straight at the keeper. A strong leg keeps the score at 1-0.

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32min: It’s far more of an even contest now, but Brentford do look the more dangerous on the ball. Mbeumo is everywhere, and Toney is not far off him.

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29min: Son again with a shot from distance but it’s easy for Raya, who gathers low to his right.

12:57 , Alex Young

26min: Spurs are improving. First Son gets Spurs’ first shot on target with a curling effort from 25 yards before Kulusevski shimmies into the area and drills the ball down Raya’s throat.

12:54 , Alex Young

23min: A break in play as both Mbembo and Toney are down.

Nick Purewal at Brentford Community Stadium

12:52 , Alex Young

“Normal first-half service resumed for Spurs after the World Cup break then. It’s the fifth Premier League game in a row that Tottenham have slipped behind.

“A tap-in for Vitaly Janelt after Fraser Forster parried Christian Norgaard’s volleyed effort. But Ivan Toney’s flick to Bryan Mbeumo dragged Japhet Tanganga out of position and the visitors failed to recover any defensive shape.”

12:49 , Alex Young

18min: Brentford are pushing for a second, winning two corners in quick succession, but Spurs just about get rid.

GOAL!

12:47 , Alex Young

15min: That was so easy for Brentford!

Toney heads into Mbembo’s path, a simple cross to the back post is then fed into Janelt to slot home from inside the area.

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14min: An applause in the 14th minute for two Brentford fans who recently passed away.

12:43 , Alex Young

13min: A poor delivery from Perisic, but Brentford can only put out for a throw in.

12:43 , Alex Young

12min: Kane into the wall and out for a corner.

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11min: Son is fouled 25 yards out to win a free kick. Kane is standing over it.

12:41 , Alex Young

9min: Spurs get into Brentford’s final third for the first time, but Doherty’s cross into the area is aimless and easily cleared.

12:37 , Alex Young

6min: Spurs seeing more of the ball now, which wasn’t hard in truth, but Brentford are battling for everything. They are fired up.

12:33 , Alex Young

3min: It’s almost flicked onto the head of Toney, but Son is there to head clear.

12:32 , Alex Young

2min: A fast start from Brentford, who win an early corner off Tanganga.

Kick-off!

12:31 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

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We have a minute's applause ahead of kick-off for George Cohen, the World Cup-winning right-back for England who died last week.

12:27 , Alex Young

Almost time. The teams are in the tunnel.

12:16 , Alex Young

Ivan Toney's performance will be interesting today.

He scored twice in a 2-1 win over Man City before the break, having been left out of England's World Cup squad, and was then charged with 262 alleged breaches of betting rules by the Football Association.

He has until January 4 to respond to the charges, will it affect him today? You'd imagine not.

12:00 , Alex Young

Ivan Perisic is some player, by the way. He was still playing in the World Cup nine days ago, missing just 20 minutes of Croatia’s SEVEN games, returned to Spurs on Friday to train and is now starting again.

Brentford fighting history

11:51 , Alex Young

Spurs have not lost to Brentford since 1948, though they haven’t played each other a ton of times.

• Brentford wins: 6

• Draws: 14

• Tottenham wins: 24

Will that run continue today?

11:40 , Alex Young

So, Brentford make one change from the side that beat Manchester City before the break as Norgaard replaces Onyeka.

Kane starts for Tottenham, along with Perisic and surprise pick Tanganga. Forster is in goal with Lloris on the bench.

Tottenham XI

11:31 , Alex Young

Kane starts.

Brentford XI

11:31 , Alex Young

Here’s how the hosts look.

11:20 , Alex Young

Talking of managers and contracts, Brentford manager Thomas Frank before Christmas extended his contract until 2027.

Frank, who took charge in 2018, led the London club to the top flight for the first time in 74 years and beat Manchester City prior to the World Cup break.

The Dane – who has linked with Aston Villa following the sacking of Steven Gerrard - guided Brentford to a 13th-placed finish in their first season in the Premier League.

"I have been here six years in total, which is a long time in modern football, and I’d like to say thank you to the fans for the support you give us - the players, the staff, everyone involved with the club," Frank said in a statement.

Read more here.

11:11 , Alex Young

Hugo Lloris is with the Spurs squad, though is still not expected to start. Confirmed teams to come at 11.30am.

10:59 , Alex Young

There eternally appears to be some sort of question mark over Antonio Conte’s future at Spurs and at his pre-match press conference the manager refused to speak on the topic.

The Italian is only under contract at Spurs until the end of the season and has previously suggested he was not the right man for the job.

While the situation has improved since, Standard Sport understands the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss is in no rush to commit his future.

Instead, Conte is more likely to wait and see how the January transfer window pans out in order to gauge the club’s ambitions.

For their part, Spurs are ready to try and secure the 53-year-old’s future by offering him a substantial pay rise, though they might not be enough.

Read more here.

10:52 , Alex Young

It’s a beautiful day in west London, perfect for the return of Premier League football.

Score prediction

10:43 , Alex Young

Brentford signed off for the break with a win over Manchester City, while Spurs had a bit of a wobble losing three of their last five to drop into fourth. However, it almost feels like the start of a new season given the break, meaning form can almost be thrown out the window.

The Bees are by no means pushovers, while Spurs always have a goal in them. It’s primed to be an intriguing first game back in the Premier League schedule.

Score draw, 1-1.

Spurs team news

10:34 , Alex Young

Spurs will be without both Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur - who is both suspended and injured - although the latter should be back for New Year’s Day. A virus has swept through the squad, leaving both Djed Spence and Oliver Skipp as doubts. Lucas Moura is struggling with a tendon issue.

Richarlison will miss up to four weeks of action following a hamstring injury.

Heung-min Son came off the bench, wearing a mask, in the 1-1 draw with Nice in a boost to Antonio Conte, while Ryan Sessegnon is in contention. It remains to be seen if Harry Kane will feature but has been training with the squad.

Brentford team news

10:19 , Alex Young

Brentford are hoping to have up to five players back for the visit of Spurs.

Kristoffer Ajer, Aaron Hickey, Pontus Jansson, Thomas Strakosha and Shandon Baptiste are all working towards match fitness ahead of the season restart.

Where to watch

10:12 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, the match will be televised live on Amazon Prime Video.

Live stream: Fans can also catch the game live online via the Amazon Prime Video app and website.

10:01 , Alex Young

There is due to be plenty of festive cheer in west London this afternoon. Odds on for plenty of Santa hats and white stick-on beards.

Welcome

09:56 , Alex Young

Hello and welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Brentford and Tottenham on Boxing Day as top-flight football returns.

Kick-off at the Brentford Community Stadium is at 12.30pm GMT as the two London rivals face off in an intriguing derby clash.

We have Nick Purewal there for us today. Stick with us.