Tottenham showcased resilience and clinical finishing to dispatch Aston Villa 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening – let’s take a look at our match report.
Despite falling behind in the first half, Spurs staged a stunning second-half comeback, with Dominic Solanke’s brace and James Maddison’s late free-kick sealing the victory. The win halted Villa’s seven-game unbeaten Premier League run and lifted Tottenham to seventh in the table.
Aston Villa’s disciplined, compact defence frustrated Spurs throughout the first half. Tottenham initially pressed high but found themselves limited to crosses and cut-backs that rarely troubled Villa’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez.
Aston Villa took the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute. Following a chaotic sequence from a corner, Morgan Rogers pounced on a rebound after Pedro Porro’s missed clearance and Rodrigo Bentancur’s deflected header.
The hosts ended the half trailing 1-0, with only 0.2 expected goals (xG) compared to Villa’s 1.3.
After halftime, Tottenham’s approach shifted dramatically. Utilising their wide players more effectively, Spurs found success going around Villa’s defence.
Brennan Johnson quickly equalised in the 49th minute, tapping in Heung-Min Son’s precise cross at the back post. Son’s involvement ended shortly after due to an unexpected substitution, with Richarlison coming on.
The Brazilian proved vital in assisting Tottenham’s third goal, but the turnaround began with Kulusevski’s sublime pass in the 75th minute. Spotting Solanke’s clever run behind Villa’s defence, Kulusevski threaded the ball through, and Solanke deftly chipped Martinez, putting Spurs in command.
Notably, Kulusevski led with the game’s highest effective chance creation, generating three major scoring opportunities.
Solanke wasn’t done, adding his second just four minutes later. Richarlison’s accurate pass found him at the back post, and Solanke made no mistake, slotting home for 3-1. Villa, struggling to keep up, tried to mount a late response, but Tottenham maintained control, outshooting Villa and drastically raising their xG to 2.63.
Villa’s fate was sealed in stoppage time when Maddison curled in a beautiful free-kick, marking his 50th Premier League goal. His strike from the edge of the box left Martinez rooted, putting an exclamation mark on Tottenham’s comeback and adding confidence after he was left out of the starting XI.
With this win, Spurs not only reinforced their reputation for breaking runs—having already handed Crystal Palace their first league winless streak—but also became the team that snapped Villa’s seven-game unbeaten record.
This performance highlighted Tottenham’s growing resilience under Ange Postecoglou. While defensive lapses on set pieces remain a concern – evident in conceding their 20th goal from such situations under manager Ange Postecoglou, this would be something they will eagerly want to work on in the future.
However, Romero’s exit due to a foot injury adds further strain to an already thin backline. With Romero and Van de Ven both sidelined, the defence will lean on Ben Davies and Dragusin to step up.
With injuries mounting in defence, Spurs will hope their creativity and finishing can sustain them in the upcoming fixtures.
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