Tottenham Hotspur look to bounce back from a shock defeat to Crystal Palace when they take on Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon. Spurs lost 1-0 at Selhurst Park a week ago but responded with a 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup. Ange Postecoglou will hope that victory brings some momentum to his team as they seek to progress further up the league table and challenge for the top four spot.
Villa already occupy one of those places. They come into the weekend fourth in the table, level on points with Arsenal. Though it is too soon to call the title challengers a win over top six opposition like Tottenham will take them one step closer to the trophy. Unai Emery’s men have not lost in the league since a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in August, a run of seven matches which has kept them in touch with the top of the table.
Tottenham vs Aston Villa Live Updates
Tottenham host Aston Villa in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports.
Spurs defeated Man City 2-1 in the Carabao Cup and hope to bring that momentum into the league.
Villa unbeaten in seven league games but hope to turn recent draws into winning performances.
13:58 , Chris Wilson
The two teams are out of the tunnel, so we’re moments away from kick-off in north London.
14:01 , Chris Wilson
A brief delay, and we’re ready to get underway in the capital.
The away side get us started on Super Sunday!
14:03 , Chris Wilson
2 min
Scrappy in the opening exchanges as both teams look to settle. McGinn sets Villa free on the counter, but Romero ends up stopping it before Rogers fires an effort well over from distance.
14:05 , Chris Wilson
4 mins
Some early danger for Spurs to deal with as it goes wide to Digne, who fizzes in an early cross. It’s a great ball, and it looks like Watkins is going to get to it, but Dragusin does enough to put him off.
14:07 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
Spurs have a bit of possession that ends with son’s deflected cross falling to Porro, who blazes over a half-volley.
14:09 , Chris Wilson
8 mins
Spurs’ high press almost works perfectly but Kulusevski is penalised for fouling Tielemans. Villa attack but McGinn’s ball in is blocked, before Onana gives away the foul.
No real chances yet for either side, though both look fairly settled early on.
14:11 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
Both teams are still wrestling for control of this game early on, Villa are happy to let Spurs have the ball around halfway, with Spurs looking to press a little higher.
14:14 , Chris Wilson
12 mins
Villa get away with one as Martinez’s pass is short, but Johnson can’t get it under control.
Spurs are beginning to dominate possession, but there’s not a lot of urgency or penetration at the moment.
14:15 , Chris Wilson
13 mins
Spurs winna free-kick not far from the Villa box and they have the first opportunity to deliver a dangerous ball in. Son takes but Solanke can only head it wide – not a bad routine though.
14:18 , Chris Wilson
16 mins
A somewhat subdued atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the moment, as McGinn is brought down by Bentancur. Villa opt to build from the back rather than put the ball in the box, and they knock it around near the Spurs box before Udogie does well to dispossess McGinn.
Spurs counter and Johnson also does well to get a corner after Kulusevski’s mistimed pass.
14:19 , Chris Wilson
18 mins
It’s a poor corner routine but Spurs win it back and Kuusevski fires in a dangerous cross, but Villa manage to get it clear eventually. Spurs come again but it’s wasteful as Bentancur’s effort from distance flies over and wide.
14:20 , Chris Wilson
20 mins
Overall, this game has probably been exactly what you’d expect from two evenly matched teams who are competing for the same prize (of fourth place).
Not a good game for the neutral, and neither side has been able to gain a real foothold.
Spurs come forward again and Udogie wins a corner after good tracking from Onana.
14:22 , Chris Wilson
22 mins
The corner falls to Sarr and he tries to recreate his Carabao Cup heroics, but it hits an offside Johnson. Moments later, Spurs have it back as Onana catches Son’s heel.
Some great touches from Kulusevski in the box win Spurs another corner – they’re beginning to look the sharper of the two sides.
14:23 , Chris Wilson
23 mins
Not a bad effort from Bentancur as his effort from 20 yards clips the top of the netting as it goes over.
14:26 , Chris Wilson
25 mins
It’s Spurs in the ascendancy in this one, though they can’t find a way through yet. The ball over the top of the defence is collected easily enough by Martinez, who releases it to Rogers, and the England U21 man wins a foul off Pape Sarr.
14:27 , Chris Wilson
27 mins
Villa have some respite here and they’ll look to fire the ball into the box – but it’s straight to Vicario.
The ‘keeper finds Kulusevski on the break and his eventual cross is taken off Son’s boot, before Johnson latches onto the end of a through ball but can only direct his cross right at Martinez.
14:31 , Chris Wilson
29 mins
A warning for Watkins as he brings down Sarr, but we carry on. Villa are happy to let Spurs have the ball in the areas they have it in at the moment.
Villa then have half a chance after their first incisive bit of play so far. Tielemans ships it on to Digne, who lays it to Ramsey, and his shot from outside the box is deflected behind for a corner.
14:32 , Chris Wilson
30 mins
HITS THE POST!
The corner is cleared but Digne gets a second chance to cross in, and it’s a peach of a ball. Onana rises highest and powers a header down into the ground, and it’s only kept out by a combination of Vicario and the post!
14:34 , Chris Wilson
32 mins
GOAL!The away side are ahead!
The corner comes in and Porro can only nod it on behind himself. It bounces off Bentancur and falls into the path of Rogers, who simply has to tap into an empty net from about two yards out!
14:36 , Chris Wilson
34 mins
That goal was certainly against the run of play, though it’s not like Spurs had been knocking at the door beforehand. Ange Postecoglou looks bemused on the sideline, anyway.
Vicario had done well to prevent the own goal after it came off Bentancur, but it ran straight to Rogers. Once again, Spurs are undone from a corner.
14:37 , Chris Wilson
36 mins
Villa happy to let Spurs have it again and we’re beginning to see how this game could play out. Spurs win a corner and Porro delivers, but Digne heads away.
14:38 , Chris Wilson
37 mins
Spurs win it back from a promising Villa counter but Son is isolated as he drives towards the box. He does well to win a corner though.
Another delivery from Porro, but it’s poor and straight into the gloves of the ‘keeper.
14:41 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Kulusevski’s cutback looks very dangerous but it’s cut out at the last.
We almost have the first booking of the day too, as Bentancur goes sliding in on Onana, but the Uruguayan escapes this time. From the free-kick, Kuliusevski intercepts Tielemans’ through ball, and Spurs have the chance to build.
14:42 , Chris Wilson
41 mins
Nice idea from Tielemans to try and clip the through ball to Watkins on the counter, but there was just a little too much on it.
14:44 , Chris Wilson
43 mins
Half a chance as Rogers threads a ball to Watkins. He takes one touch to get himself into the box, but he mishits the shot and drags it wide of the far post.
More rash decision-making from Bentancur as he wastes possession just to blaze an effort well over from just over 20 yards.
14:47 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
There’ll be just one minute of added time here, and the half is petering out. Spurs are in need of a team talk, and maybe a substitution.
Cash delivers a long throw-in but Vicario collects.
14:48 , Chris Wilson
46 mins
Spurs do have half a chance at the end of the half as Kulusevski breaks clear and threads it to Solanke, but the shot is blocked and the referee brings the half to an end.
15:00 , Chris Wilson
A half that ended up getting away from spurs despite the fact that they started the more positive of the two.
The home side dominated some of the early possession but couldn’t convert it into chances. You could say they’re missing the attacking influence of Maddison, despite the best efforts of Kulusevski down the right.
For Villa, the gameplan has worked perfectly. They’ve been happy to let Spurs have the ball in some areas, and have limited their chances when the home side have come forward.
They’ve launched attacks at the right time and the set-piece delivery was better when it mattered.
15:02 , Chris Wilson
The second half begins as Spurs get the ball rolling.
15:04 , Chris Wilson
46 mins
It’s Villa who start the second half in possession, until Romero is fouled by Watkins.
No changes at half-time.
15:07 , Chris Wilson
48 mins
GOAL! Spurs are level!
The second half has started much like how the first did, with the home side in possession and Villa laying off, but they’ve paid the price!
Udogie spreads it wide to Son, and the captain drives towards the box before swinging in the perfect cross into the corridor between Martinez and his defenders. Brennan Johnson steals in behind and gets to it first, diverting it into the net for 1-1!
15:10 , Chris Wilson
51 mins
CLOSE! Spurs go close to taking the lead as Udogie gets behind on the overlap. He delays before finding Solanke with the cutback, and the former Bournemouth man fires in a low shot on the turn that forces a good save from Martinez down to his right.
15:13 , Chris Wilson
54 mins
Spurs are having all the possession now, but this time they’re actually creating chances with it.
Villa do get a chance to get forward and it’s brilliant work from Watkins, who wins the footrace with Romero, shrugs off the challenge and then wins a free-kick after bursting past Porro. The Spaniard is the first player in the book for that tackle.
The free-kick bounces to McGinn but he can only fire wide on the half-volley.
15:14 , Chris Wilson
56 mins
There is an early sub for Spurs but there’s a bit of a surprising one, as Son makes way for Richarlison and Bentancur comes off for Bissouma.
15:15 , Chris Wilson
58 mins
Romero flies in with a late challenge on Rogers and he is booked too.
15:18 , Chris Wilson
60 mins
Matty Cash comes off for Diego Carlos for Villa. It’s been stop-start over the last five minutes or so, with Romero receiving treatment, and he’d forced off too – he makes way for Ben Davies.
15:19 , Chris Wilson
61 mins
There’s another ‘injury’ immediately, as Onana gets a knock to the head. He stays down but he looks fine to carry on.
15:21 , Chris Wilson
63 mins
More good work from Rogers as he carries half the length of the pitch and then wins a free-kick on the left wing. It’ll be Tielemans to deliver the set-piece.
The Belgian lays it off to Digne on the edge of the box, but it cannons off Carlos and goes out for a goal kick.
15:23 , Chris Wilson
65 mins
Martinez goes long to Watkins but the England international is too isolated up top, and Spurs win the throw. So far, the subs haven’t given either side the edge.
15:24 , Chris Wilson
67 mins
Sarr cuts in and has a pop from outside the box, but it fizzes wide of the far post.
15:25 , Chris Wilson
68 mins
Rogers is down again, and there’ll be another break as he receives treatment. Expect at least five minutes of added time once we’re done with the 90 here.
15:30 , Chris Wilson
Tottenham Hotspur FC 1 - 1 Aston Villa FC
Aston Villa vs Tottenham: Pre-Match Analysis
These two sides are certainly among those battling for Champions League qualification next season, though it’s Villa who have started stronger out of the two.
Unai Emery’s side sit fifth on 18 points with a game in hand over the teams above them, and they could move into third with a win today.
Spurs have had a more mixed start to 2024/25, despite showing some real signs of promise, and they lie in 10th on 13 points.
Ange Postecoglou’s men could move to seventh place with a win today.
Spurs and Villa Battle for Champions League Spot
Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa on Sunday, with both teams aiming for Champions League football next term - but the visitors faring decidedly better once again this season so far.
Spurs have been wildly unpredictable, looking impressive in attack and diabolical at the back, sometimes half-to-half rather than even game to game. They sit eighth, as many wins as defeats so far in the Premier League, and the five-point gap to Villa in fourth shows they are already off the pace.
However, a midweek win over Man City will bolster confidence, even if that came in the League Cup, while Villa themselves are sitting pretty top of the Champions League table itself with three wins from three as well as holding their own domestically once more.
However, they were beaten 2-1 at home by Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup meaning it’s just two wins from the last five in all competitions.
Tactical Approach
While Villa have a full squad to choose from and no issues for Unai Emery to worry about, Spurs will be without one key man at either end of the pitch even as another returns at the opposite end. Micky van de Ven hurt his hamstring in midweek and will miss the games this side of the international break, but Son Heung-min should be ready to return in attack. Djed Spence is another potential returning face, but Wilson Odebert remains sidelined.
Team News
For Villa, there are no changes to the side that drew with Bournemouth in the league last week.
Tyrone Mings remains on the bench after his return from a long injury layoff, with Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa having cemented their places in the starting 11.
The midfield four remains the same as last week, with McGinn starting on the left and Ramsey on the right, with Onana and Tielemans in the more central roles.
Jhon Duran remains on the bench in favour of Ollie Watkins, with Morgan Rogers playing just behind him in the advanced midfield role.
Ange Postecoglou has made four changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Palace last time out in the league.
In defence, the inured Micky van de Ven is replaced by Radu Dragusin, while in attack, 17-year-old Mikey Moore comes out in favour on Heung-min Son.
In midfield, Yves Bussouma and James Maddison drop out, and they’re replaced by Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr.
Spurs XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Subs: Forster, Davies, Gray, Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison, Moore, Werner, Richarlison.
Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; McGinn, Onana, Tielemans, Ramsey, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Maatsen, Carlos, Mings, Kamars, Philogene, Buendia, Bailey, Duran.
Key Players to Watch
Son Heung-min (Tottenham): Son will be looking to make an immediate impact upon his return to the starting lineup. With his pace and creativity, he will be a key threat for Spurs.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa): The England forward has started the season well and will be hoping to continue his good form. Watkins is a powerful finisher and a great aerial threat.
Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa): Rogers has been a real attacking threat for Villa, and he will be looking to continue his impressive form. His pace and directness have been a headache for opposition defences.
Prediction
This is a tough match to call, but I think Aston Villa have a slight edge. They have been more consistent this season, and they have a lot of attacking firepower. I predict a 2-1 win for Villa.
