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
21 mins: McGinn delivers a free-kick from the left which Vicario punches away. Villa retain meaningful possession for the first time in the game, and a Cash long-throw creates some pinball in the Spurs box. Villa have their first corner of the game.
17 mins: Porro’s ball in is easily cleared, and Villa counter.
McGinn skips through a couple of challenges and soon Watkins is racing through one-on-one. Bizarrely he opts to square it, and Spurs clear, but the Englishman was offside anyway.
16 mins: Some sloppy passing from both sides has robbed them of potentially good opportunities.
Matty Cash gives away a foul for a poor challenge on Johnson, and this will be Spurs first real set-piece opportunity.
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
14 mins: van de Ven does well to dispossess Bailey, but Sarr then passes straight to Watkins on the edge of the Spurs box. He lays it off to Tielemans, but Porro blocks the shot and Sarr looks a relieved man.
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
13 mins: Son is taking up the mantle of Harry Kane, dropping deep to try and link play. Johnson sidesteps McGinn and tries to create something, but the runners aren’t there and the ball goes backwards once more.
Villa briefly regain possession but Martinez looks long for Watkins and its easily swept up by Romero. That long ball tactic will be difficult to pull off with van de Ven present.
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
11 mins: Spurs are dominating possession now, though they haven’t created a real clear-cut chance. Villa have started slow considering the circumstances and home advantage, with Watkins looking a little isolated. The Englishman fouls Romero and Spurs have another chance to build from the back.
8 mins: Watkins is struggling a little after that challenge from van de Ven. He’s definitely running gingerly.
Spurs remain on top in the first 10 minutes, having forced Villa into losing the ball on several occasions. The away side are keeping possession fairly easily too, with a ball into the box towards Maddison cleared at the last minute.
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
6 mins: Udogie and Son combine well to work it on the edge of the Villa box, with the ball arriving at the feet of Porro on the right wing. The Spaniard hits a poor cross which loops onto the top of the goal.
Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
5 mins: The first time Villa do go long, they nearly fashion a chance. The ball is hit towards Watkins, who gets there ahead of Romero. Luckily, van de Ven is there to recover to stop the Englishman getting a shot away.
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