Aston Villa vs Tottenham LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Son Heung-min inspires big win in top-four race
Unai Emery’s Villa take on Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs in a clash for fourth
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Your support makes all the difference.Tottenham Hotspur inflicted a chastening 4-0 home defeat on 10-man Aston Villa as Ange Postecoglou’s men emphatically won this key battle in the race for Champions League qualification.
Sunday’s crunch clash between fourth and fifth was described in the build-up by Villa skipper John McGinn as “the most important game in the club’s recent history”.
Unai Emery’s men had the chance to move eight points clear of Spurs in the final guaranteed Champions League spot, but instead the hosts’ captain saw red in an embarrassing second-half collapse. Follow all the reaction below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here:
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
2 mins: The home fans are in fine voice as the game begins. Neither team has been able to form a real attack so far, with a little bit of pinball around the centre of the park.
KICK-OFF! Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
KICK-OFF! After a minute of remembrance for former Villa defender Chris Nicholl, Spurs get us underway.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur LIVE
The teams are coming out of the tunnel now, with the usual pre-match light and fire show welcoming them onto the pitch.
It seems a good atmosphere at Villa Park, with the fans undoubtedly aware of the eight-point gap they could open up on Spurs, and what that would do for their bid to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
According to Sky, this is Villa’s highest points tally at this point of any Premier League season. The Villans are only nine points off Arsenal, who start the day in first, and they have a game in hand on the London side, though the result in today’s 3.45pm kick-off will change things at the top.
Spurs are on the hunt for a return to Champions League football, having lost the 2019 final against Liverpool. They were last in the competition in the 22/23 season, when they lost to AC Milan in the round of 16.
Pre-match interviews
Unai Emery spoke to Sky earlier, and the Spaniard praised Spurs’ “very offensive” style, calling them “fantastic”.
“We have to try manage the 90 minutes because the physical aspect is going to be important as they [players] demand a lot of what they are facing.
“We are being more consistent. We lost two matches to Manchester United and Newcastle United. It’s important to analyse ourselves and develop ourselves.
“We have to try show our potential and capacity against this team.”
Pre-match interviews
Ange Postecoglou is speaking to Sky Sports.
“We know it’s a big game and it’s a team directly above us, they are a good side and these games are a good challenge - there is plenty of football still to be played,” he says.
“They try to condense the pitch. If we can sort of play the game in their half it negates that a little bit.”
Regarding his decision to replace Werner with Brennan Johnson, the Australian says: “I think we need the balance today and Brennan has done well for us recently”.
Some pre-match stats
Villa frontman Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 26 Premier League goals this season, which is the most of any player in the competition so far.
Spurs meanwhile are on a club record run of scoring in 38 consecutive matches, which stretches back to 4 March 2023 (a 1-0 defeat to Wolves).
Team News
The home side make three changes to the side that started the 0-0 draw against Ajax.
John McGinn, Leon Bailey and Matty Cash all start for the hosts, taking the place of Moussa Diaby, Morgan Rogers and Tim Iroegbunam.
Spurs make three changes to the team that started the comeback win against Crystal Palace.
Pedro Porro starts for the first time in a month after a muscle injury, while Brennan Johnson and Pape Matar Sarr also come back in. Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Bentancur and Timo Werner drop to the bench.
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