Aston Villa produced a strong comeback performance to claim a 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, lifting Unai Emery’s men into the top half of the Premier League table.
Tottenham got off to a bright start when Rodrigo Bentancur found the back of the net within five minutes, finishing neatly after Micky van de Ven’s header set him up inside the box. The Uruguayan midfielder celebrated by placing the ball under his shirt — a tribute to his pregnant wife.
However, Aston Villa refused to let the early setback define their evening. Morgan Rogers equalised before halftime with a stunning 20-yard strike that left goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario helpless. The goal reignited Villa’s belief, setting up an intense second half under heavy rain.
Tottenham’s boss, Thomas Frank, who has struggled to inspire consistent home form since replacing Ange Postecoglou, saw his team lose control after the break. His side have now won just three of their last 18 league matches at home — a worrying statistic for the North London club.
Okay News reports that Aston Villa’s momentum has been building in recent weeks, following a difficult start to the season. Emery’s side, unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions, have now registered five consecutive victories, including three in the Premier League.
Tottenham, already missing several key players — James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke — were dealt another blow when captain Cristian Romero picked up an injury during the warm-up. To make matters worse, forward Mathys Tel also limped off in the second half after sustaining a knee knock.
The visitors took advantage of Spurs’ growing frustrations late in the game. In the 77th minute, Lucas Digne’s intelligent pass found Emiliano Buendia at the edge of the area, and the Argentine midfielder curled in a fine low finish to seal all three points for Villa.
Despite a last-minute opportunity for Tottenham debutant Randal Kolo Muani, who blasted over from close range, Villa held firm to secure their first away win over a top-four rival since last season.
Unai Emery’s side have now climbed to 10th place as they continue to chase Champions League qualification, while Thomas Frank’s Tottenham remain in sixth after their second league defeat in eight matches.